Lighting up the sky for the little angels
By Aideen O'Flaherty
MOTHER-OF-ONE Melissa Luttrell hosted an event in Tallaght recently to remember children and babies who have gone on to be ‘little angels’, even after suffering a fall when she was preparing for the lantern and balloon release that left her “in agony”.
The 21-year-old Jobstown resident lost her first baby through a miscarriage at three months in 2015, and was moved to set up an event commemorating those ‘little angels’ that people have lost.
This event marked the third year of Light Up the Sky, which sees balloons and lanterns being released to go up to the sky to reach the ‘little angels’ that people have lost.
This year’s event, which was held beside Tallaght Leisure Centre on Fortunestown Way, also included tandem balloon releases at Light Up the Sky events around the country.
However, minutes before the balloon release Melissa tripped and damaged her ankle and leg when she was “rushing around” to ensure the event was being livestreamed online.
Melissa then had to be treated by members of Dublin Fire Brigade’s ambulance service who then brought her to Tallaght Hospital.
Melissa told The Echo: “I’m grand, but I got so upset.
“I got to see all of the balloons being released from the back of the ambulance.
“Even the ambulance men let some balloons go.”
Despite being sore and injured, Melissa said she felt “so happy” when she saw the balloon release, and said she received a round of applause from the crowd when she was wheeled into the ambulance.
Melissa described Tallaght Leisure Centre as being “amazing”, as they helped her with her injury and also provided tea and coffee for all of the attendees.
The young mother, who is still waiting for the swelling in her leg to go down, said: “Even with my banjaxed leg, I still managed to do it.”
Next year Melissa is planning to do a five-day Rainbow Walk from Cork to Dublin with her nieces Dayna (15) and Shannon (11), where she plans to set off rainbow balloons at every sign marking a different county, in memory of babies who have passed away, as Melissa says: “after every storm there is a rainbow.
TAGS Tallaght
