This year, RTÉ Radio 1's Today with Sean O'Rourke have gotten involved in the People of the Year Awards by supporting The Everyday Hero Award.
Earlier this year, Sean invited listeners to nominate someone in their community who they felt deserved recognition and Evelyn O’Rourke has paid each of the five nominees a visit over the last couple of weeks.
This morning, Sean and Evelyn were able to reveal Colette Byrne as the winner of the Everyday Hero Award which will be presented to her on Saturday March 3rd at the People of the Year awards by both Evelyn and Sean at the Mansion House.
Nominating Colette was David Curran, a dad of three teenagers and who tragically, two and a half a years ago lost his wife and the mum of their children, when she died suddenly.
The whole family was devastated by Joann’s death and David was lost, not knowing who to turn to.
He found this chat forum widow.ie and he described it as a safe space for people like himself to talk and share experiences and gain support. The site was founded by a young widow Colette Byrne 10 years ago.
Colette was a young mother to baby Kate (3) when her husband Peter (32) died in a road traffic accident. David Curran told Evelyn that he nominated Colette as his community's Everyday Hero because widow.ie was a life saver for him, he had a community to reach out to, people who understood.
David felt that Colette deserves this award because she did something amazing for others in the midst of her own pain and turmoil. She is a gentle, quiet person but from her computer screen has managed to make so many people’s lives better.
Listen to the full radio segment on RTÉ Radio 1 in the video above.
