WARRIORS: Ryan Dewhurst pictured with his mom Danielle O'Brien, Superintendent Flor Murphy alongside Garda Gillian Mac Eoin O'Donoghue and her daughter Ella O'Donoghue.

Miracle kids meet up almost five years later

By Michelle Crean

Two little warriors from Killarney - who battled through complicated life threatening conditions in the same Dublin hospital in 2014 - were reunited for the first time this week.
Little Ryan Dewhurst (5), son of Danielle O’Brien and Dan Dewhurst from Dromhall Park, was one of the longest ever patients in Crumlin Hospital at the time and became the poster boy for the Ronald McDonald House, after he was born with his bowels outside his body.
He underwent nine serious operations – the first at just three days old.
Little Ella O'Donoghue, who’ll be five in July is daughter of Garda Gillian Mac Eoin O'Donoghue and Paul O'Donoghue. She also underwent a serious operation - open heart surgery - at just nine weeks old.
Their moms, both from Killarney, stayed in the Ronald McDonald House at the same time and formed a friendship during one of the most stressful times of their lives.
However, last Saturday was magical for Ryan, as he not only received a police bicycle for his fifth birthday - which he celebrated on Sunday – but brought it to Killarney Garda Station to have it checked over by local Gardai.
And the smile and excitement on his face was just priceless, Gillian, who organised the day, explained.
“He just adores the Gardai and everything to do with police work, he says he’s going to go patrolling on his new bike to catch bad guys but he will be sure to always wear his helmet when doing so,” Gillian told the Killarney Advertiser.
She said it was great when Danielle got in contact last week to say that Ryan was Garda mad and wanted a road safety check on his bike.
“It was so nice for the two children to get together again this week as they hadn’t met up since. We hope in time to come Ryan can look back at the photo of his fifth birthday in the Garda uniform when he’s passing out from Templemore as a real Garda.”
Danielle added that Ryan is their little miracle as he almost died during one of his surgeries.
“We found out when I was 23 weeks pregnant that his bowels were outside his body and it came as quite a shock. He was just three days old when he had his first surgery. He’s had nine surgeries in total. During an operation at eight weeks old he flat lined. He’s our little miracle.”
Ryan is now doing well, she explained, as he had his last surgery last year and is thriving since.
“He’s tough, nothing phases him.”