'I waited for him' - Funeral of young man who 'never came home' during Storm Éowyn confirmed

Arthur Dudek, the father of crash victim Kacper Dudek, wept as he told his local priest: “I waited for him to come home and he never came home”.

The 20-year-old was killed by a falling tree as he made his way home from work in Letterkenny, Co Donegal at around 5.30am on Friday last.

Just moments earlier, he spoke to his father on the phone having narrowly avoided another fallen tree.

A tree along the N14 road at Feddyglass, Raphoe, fell and struck the car which was being driven by Mr Dudek. His funeral Mass will take place this Thursday morning in St Patrick’s Church, Murlog.

Fr Michael McCaughey, the parish priest of Leckpatrick, Camus and Clonleigh visited the Dudek family home at Beechwood Park on Friday evening having been called to the scene, where he administered the Last Rites to Mr Dudek.

“His father told me when I arrived to the house: ‘I waited for him to come home and he never came home’,” Fr McCaughey said.

“Those words were very daunting to listen to, a father saying that about his son.

“There is just a lot of pain and sadness for local people here. 

“The family is very highly respected in Lifford. Kacper was well respected himself, he went to Lifford National School and onto Holy Cross in Strabane. He was very well thought of.

“It is a very sad situation and coupled with the fact that they had no electricity into Saturday, the whole thing is very sad and the story is very touching; a young man coming home from work just trying to do his best.”

Mr Dudek, the eldest of three children, was born in Brody, Poland and moved to Lifford at a young age when his family relocated. 

Fr Ignacy Saniuta, a Polish priest in the Derry Diocese, has also been aiding the family. 

Mr Dudek’s body was removed from the scene to the mortuary in Letterkenny University Hospital for a post mortem examination and the N14 was closed to allow for a full examination of the scene. 

Garda forensic collision investigators and divisional scenes of crime arrived at the scene on Saturday while a Garda family liaison officer (FLO) was assigned to provided support to the bereaved family. 

Mr Dudek left his night shift at Zeus in Letterkenny with a colleague and the pair were travelling in a two-car convoy when the heartbreaking incident occurred. After coming across a fallen tree, Mr Dudek turned his car around, but a further tree collapsed onto his car.

“It’s really devastating news for the community to hear of Kacper’s tragic passing,” Sinn Féin County Councillor Dakota Nic Mheanman said. “My thoughts are prayers are with his family and friends at this time.”

The winds of Storm Éowyn were howling although the incident occurred before a status red alert was active from 7am.

“Friday was very difficult for all of us,” Fr McCaughey said. “People had no electricity, there was a fear of the wind and people had to make journeys that were necessary in circumstances.”

Fr McCaughey paid tribute to the emergency services who attended the scene on Friday morning. 

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Mr Dudek was a former pupil of Holy Cross College in Strabane, where his younger brother Karol attends.

Holy Cross Principal Ciaran Johnston said Mr Dudek was “a really great student and conscientious”.

“Staff and students alike all have the same recollection: He was a real, true gentleman, very quiet and mild mannered. A very gentle soul.”

Mr Dudek was at Holy Cross from 2016 to 2023 when he completed his A Levels. He studied digital technology and had a keen interest in business studies and engineering.

Mr Johnston said: “Kacper was one of our own and a number of his friends are still in the school. The school will endeavour to put supports in place for children and staff who are affected in the days and weeks ahead.

ABC Childcare Centre in Lifford said in a tribute: “We would like to send our thoughts and condolences to the family and friends of Kacper Dudek. We had the pleasure of getting to know Kacper in our preschool service and have fond memories of him. May he rest in peace.”

Kacper is survived by his parents, Artur and Katarzyna, brother Karol, sister Weronika, girlfriend Molly and family circle. 

Requiem Mass will take place at 10.30am on Thursday at St Patrick’s Church, Murlog with cremation afterwards in Lakelands Crematorium.