'I believe that the trauma of the collision led to his cancer,' says wife of Tipperary man

January, 2020 changed our lives forever.  My husband Tom and his two best friends went out for a spin on the bikes as they did every Saturday.  

Getting that phone call when I was at work is a time I will never forget - 4.53pm. Maurice is dead and my husband was seriously injured. Even today, I always say, Tom died that day. He was never the same man after that collision.  He was full of fear and anxiety, anger and guilt-ridden over why did Maurice have to die.

READ MORE: Tipperary motorbike rider 'mowed down' by van driver in 'tragic' crash

He underwent 22 operations to try and save his leg but by November 2020, amputation was the only option to  get him on the road to recovery. It was a hard  time for him, both physically and mentally. I am so, so angry as this should be Tom's victim impact statement.  He wanted to be here so much today.

Tom was diagnosed with stage 1 bladder cancer, something we thought he could live with  but within months, he progressed to stage 4.  Tom died on April, 20 2022. I believe, in my heart, that the trauma of the collision led to my husband’s cancer, and I really mean this.

Many nights, Tom was having nightmares, screaming, all he could hear was the crunch of the impact, flashbacks, seeing that person's face, the van approaching him. He said this vision he could never get out of his head.  My soulmate, my best friend, is not here anymore. It breaks my heart because he fought so hard.

His children Derek, Ciara and Dara have lost their dad. His grandchildren have lost their granddad but they know he's in heaven looking down on them, and that he's building them a rocket ship, so that someday they are going to see him. We are trying to keep his memories alive in their little minds.

His mother, Eileen, has lost her son. His sister and two brothers lost their brother. The impact on our family is like a hole in our soul. Life is not the same anymore. Our eldest daughter, Ciara, got married last year. She walked down that aisle without the most important man in her life by her side.  

READ MORE: 'How do you explain to your child with multiple disabilities his dad has been mowed down?'

These special milestones in all our lives are missing the one person who should be there with us all, but he is not. Our home is lonely. Life is lonely. The person I was meant to grow old with is gone. I am not the same person. I left my job to care for my husband and I'm not strong enough to go back to work. I just can't seem to move on without him and that is a scary feeling.

I hope these people realise the devastation they caused our families.

 ~ Nancy Traynor who read out her own victim impact statement