The family of a six-year-old boy who tragically drowned in a swimming pool accident are aiming to establish a charity to pay tribute to their son.
Corey Aughey from Belfast drowned last June after he wandered away from his family at a hotel pool to get a coke from a vending machine. The family had only touched down in Majorca three hours before tragedy struck.
Speaking to Belfast Live, Corey's father, Colin, described the young chap as a "superhero" with a limitless joy for life.
"When he passed, that is what everyone remembered him by, just being the life and soul of the party, he never stopped. You'd be at a birthday party and he would be the last one dancing" he said.
Recalling the horrific event, Colin thanked an individual from Manchester named Matt who performed CPR on Corey after he was removed from the pool. Corey was then taken by ambulance to a nearby hospital where his condition stabilized. Some days later, however, hospital tests showed no sign of brain activity after which his life support machines were switched off.
Having now had time to process the trauma, Corey's family are doing everything possible to keep the little lad's legacy alive. This April, a group will run The Belfast City Marathon in aid of the soon-to-be-established Corey Aughey Foundation.
To date, the family has raised over €2,700 on GoFundMe which will go towards raising critical awareness around water safety and CPR, along with providing much-needed funds for defibrillators across the Belfast community.
"Corey loved his superheroes, he was just so innocent", said Colin. "He was always talking about heroes, so through the Corey Aughey Foundation, he will be a hero."
You can donate to Corey's fund through this GoFundMe link
