Wheelchair-bound Irishman tragically fails to save son in Philly blaze

A neighbor who lives across the street, Lloyd Shaw, descried the Irish family as “close-knit.”

“Liam, the father, is just an incredible person,” Shaw said. “He has multiple sclerosis and has lost the use of his legs, but the family still had their own construction company.”

Shaw called Thomas “an incredible kid.”

“They tried to get him out of the window, but he was too big. They did CPR on him, but it didn't work. It's just awful.”

Doherty’s relatives from County Tyrone flew to Philadelphia to be with the family last week.

Chairman of the local Tempo Maguires GAA club, Peter Bogue, also traveled to Philadelphia to present a special jersey to Doherty, who played football with them before moving to the U.S. during the 1990s to start a new life. 

Doherty’s relationship with the club remained strong. In February he returned to Tyrone for the club’s 100-year anniversary ball. 

Said Bogue, “It is just unfair.”

“They are a very nice family and were home for a gala ball at the club in February to mark 100 years of the first activity at Tempo,” he said.

“Thomas was here also with Michael and Erin. I have visited them and Liam still advertises his company on the hoarding on the pitch.”

Thomas Doherty was buried on Tuesday, July 14.

​
Nster.com