User:rorynoonanDate:11/05/2013Time:08:17:18Edition:11/05/2013Satsatecho110513Page:1Color:
EE - V1
SATURDAY, MAY 11, 2013
EDITION NO. 34,909
Serving Cork for 120 years
● Dad’s heartache over death of son who fell from window in Midleton ● HSE launches probe and insists: There WAS an ambulance available
GRIEVING DAD: Vidas Martinaitis THE father of the little boy who died after falling from an upstairs window in Midleton has spoken movingly about his special son “who was always laughing and smiling”.
Tragic Vakaris Martinaitis died on Wednesday, after the accident at his home on Monday afternoon. He was due to celebrate his second
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My little, smiling boy was full of life and love
By PADRAIG HOARE
birthday today. His family have donated his organs, and it is believed up to four children will benefit, two in Ireland and two in Britain. The accident has raised questions about the reconfigured ambulance service in east Cork, after a neighbour who came to the boy’s aid rang the emergency services and
was told no ambulance was available. Kevin Hennessy then drove with a garda escort to Cork University Hospital accompanied by the little boy’s dad, Vidas. Mum Aukse, who was at work when the accident happened, arrived shortly afterwards. The Health Service Executive (HSE) has launched an investigation, after confirming an ambulance actually
“ALWAYS LAUGHING”: Vakaris
was available at the time. The couple, originally from Lithuania but living in Ireland for nine years, yesterday remembered their vibrant and gregarious son. Vidas said he gave him a hug every morning without fail and he always had a smile on his face. He added that since Vakaris was born, he had dreamt of taking him fishing and playing football together.
Vidas said they took comfort from the fact that their boy would give the gift of life to four others. The couple also have a daughter Agneta, due to make her Holy Communion next week. The boy’s funeral is set to take place on Monday. A statement from the HSE said: “The preliminary ● Continued on page four.
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