Cancer, lightning, bereavement and scam leave mother of three bereft – The Irish Times

A west Dublin mom of 3 who was once identified with most cancers prior to shedding her house to a lightning clash, her husband to a middle assault and virtually €10,000 to scammers in an issue of months has had a GoFundMe marketing campaign established to assistance her and her folk.

The Butlers from Blanchardstown suffered the line of unfortunate private tragedies over simply 14 months, the unhappiness and melancholy mixed with the monetary disaster turning the lives of this tightly knit folk “completely upside-down”.

Blanca and Daniel Butler shared a house in Corduff, Blanchardstown for greater than two decades at the side of their 3 youngsters: Natalie (20), Paul (16) and Aaron (10).

Blanca labored in the neighborhood as a healthcare laborer for over 18 years generation husband Daniel labored within the development industry.

In March 2023, Blanca was once identified with a mixed mind and lung most cancers.

Daniel labored in development however took life off to maintain his critically sick spouse, retirement the folk and not using a source of revenue.

Utmost August a freak thunderstorm – which was once extensively reported on on the life – noticed the Butlers’ house significantly broken nearest an adjacent space was once struck by means of lightning.

Each homes had been successfully destroyed. Sadly, the home was once now not insured, with the Butlers left absolutely financially accountable for the intensive reconstruction and upkeep required.

The folk moved in with Daniel’s father, who lived within sight, generation Blanca’s remedy endured.

In March of this while, the folk suffered extra heartache when a industry permitted a €9,000 bank for unutilized home windows and doorways prior to disappearing.

Unenthusiastic to percentage much more unholy information along with his spouse, the person stored it confidential and in a while afterwards he suffered a middle assault and died within the Mater clinic on April ninth.

He was once 39. His organs had been donated and old in life-saving operations for 3 others.

Blanca is satisfied the lack of hundreds of euro and the ensuing rigidity was once no less than in part accountable for the center assault.

It has therefore emerged that the Butlers’ loan, which ordinarily could be paid off within the match of the loss of life of a partner, was once now not coated by means of existence insurance coverage.

Blanca and her 3 youngsters are nonetheless residing with Daniel’s father however haven’t any approach of having their lives again in combination.

A bunch of buddies, former paintings colleagues and others have come in combination to present a serving to hand and assistance lift catastrophe budget to get Blanca again into the folk house and again directly to her toes as soon as once more.

Chatting with The Irish Occasions, Blanca stated that she was once responding smartly to the most cancers recovery however the highway forward remainder unsure.

“I was actually in the Mater hospital when the lightning strike happened and I got a call from my eldest daughter saying we had to come home.”

When she were given house she discovered the home “was very badly damaged on the roof. It was our next-door neighbour who was hit by the lightning and it crawled into our house. The floors are concave and the walls ruined now,” she stated.

She stated the lack of her husband was once by means of a long way the worst factor that had took place to her. “It is just terrible but, as me and the kids say, we can’t even cry any more, it is too much,” she stated.

She and her folk are nonetheless residing together with her better half’s father. “Thank God he took us in as otherwise we would have nowhere to go,” she stated.

Daniel’s former employer, Michael Gallagher, is spearheading the GoFundMe marketing campaign – and is dedicated to wearing out the paintings important to form the folk house liveable once more.

“There are personal disasters and there is bad luck – but what the Butlers have endured in both personal tragedy and financial misfortune over the past 14 months is beyond imagination,” Mr Gallagher stated.

“Daniel worked for me for 20 years and was one in a million. For this family to have lost a loving husband and a father on the back of everything else that went wrong over the past year is truly devastating. We want to press the reset button for this family. They need our help and I know people will want to help, once they hear just what this family have gone through.

“We are determined to set them on a right footing and on the road to recovery,” he added.