The heartbroken family of tragic nurse Mary Ellen Molloy are hoping to have her home for her funeral in the coming week.
Preparations to repatriate the 26-year-old Donegal woman’s remains back to her native Ardara for burial are at an advanced stage.
The beautiful young woman was killed on December 20 when a large branch fell from a tree onto her taxi in Melbourne, Australia.
Mary Ellen was killed, another one of her friends was injured and a third escaped without injury.
Her heartbroken family have been trying desperately to get her home to give her a dignified funeral back in her native Donegal where she grew up.
Family friend and Donegal TD Pat the Cope Gallagher has been co-ordinating the arrangements to bring back Mary Ellen from Australia.
He confirmed that Trojan work has been done by the Australian and Irish authorities to get the young Donegal woman back as quickly as possible.
“We cannot give a definite date but we are hopeful Mary Ellen will be back with her family in the coming days.
“It is a complicated process and it is not helped that this tragic incident happened at this time of year when many offices are closed.
“However, I do want to pay tribute to the Australian and Irish authorities and to the undertaker in Australia who have been working around the clock to get Mary Ellen back home to her family.
“I have known the Molloy and Gillespie families for many years and they are good, good people and we are all doing as much as we can to have Mary Ellen home.
“I am hopeful that will happen very soon,” he said.
Mary Ellen’s family including dad Terence, mum Angela and two younger brothers are being comforted by family and friends.
Meanwhile, a fund set up by St Kevins GAC in Melbourne, of which Mary Ellen and her friends were members of, has reached a staggering €115,000.
