Remembering Samuel: Zoe releases music video in memory of her godson
By Hayden Moore
A teenager has marked her godson’s first birthday since his passing by releasing a music video for a song she wrote about him and by raising funds for the Jack and Jill Foundation through a gig.
Clondalkin native Zoe Clarke saw her debut single ‘No Matter Where You Are’ release to great acclaim last year, peaking at Number Six in the Irish iTunes Charts.
Zoe Clarke
Zoe penned the song after witnessing her godson Samuel having a seizure and the touching music video, which was released on what would have been his second birthday, pays tribute to his life and the bond they had.
Samuel, who was born with a chromosomal problem that left him with profound mental and physical disabilities, died in March at the age of 1.
“I kind of knew it was coming to the end, we knew he wasn’t supposed to live long and then he was taken into hospital in March,” recalls Zoe, who is 19-years-old.
“I got to see him on the day he passed, I went up that morning and said goodbye – it was awful.
“The funeral was actually on March 12, which was the day the schools were told they were closing.
Zoe Clarke and godson Samuel
“We were kind of lucky in a way that we got to give him the send-off that he deserved.”
From Leixlip, Samuel had a low life expectancy and was subject to round the clock care, with his godmother Zoe eager to learn how to work the machines that he required.
“I was able to feed him, he was fed through a tube, so I had learned how to do that.
Zoe Clarke’s gig in aid of Jack and Jill Foundation
“I just thought that I would feed any of my other little cousins, this cousin’s no different so I’m going to learn how to feed him and look after him the same way.”
Zoe released her debut EP in July titled ‘Safe & Sound’ and performed several originals and covers in a livestreamed gig.
“David, he runs High Plateau Productions in America, he reached out to me to do a show and when he told me the date, November 13, I just said let’s make it a charity thing.
“Samuel’s birthday is November 12, the day before, so I said let’s give all the money to Jack and Jill and that can be my present to Samuel.
“Jack and Jill [Foundation] provide in-home nursing care and they would come out to Samuel’s house and look after him for a few hours so that his mam and dad could go shopping, for a coffee or whatever they needed.”
Through the live gig, Zoe managed to raise €580 for the Jack and Jill Foundation.
Zoe also gave the virtual audience a snippet of what to expect from her in the future, playing a new single inspired by her godchild Samuel that she wrote after his death.
“I actually sang a new original that I wrote after Samuel died. It was actually my first time to play for anyone but family,” she tells The Echo.
“I was thinking of calling it Thinking of You, hopefully it will release in the new year.”
On what would have been the day that Samuel turned 2, November 12, Zoe released the music video for ‘No Matter Where You Are’ and it is now available to watch on YouTube @zoeclarkemusic_
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