'Lifechanging' donations in Laois teen's memory help little boy to walk

The kindness of a tragically bereaved Laois family has helped another special little Laois boy to start to learn how to walk.

Portlaoise boy David Brown was a promising GAA player when at the age of 15 he died in a quad accident on Easter Sunday 2023, to widespread shock and sadness.

His devastated parents James and Carmel and siblings Conor and Sarah, in their time of grief kindly requested that any donations in his memory be made to the Jamie for Trexo fundraiser.

The late David Brown, who died on April 9, 2023.

That fundraiser is for little Jamie Mannion, now aged 11 and also from Portlaoise.

Jamie has a rare and undiagnosed disorder that means he has complex medical and support needs. He has refractory (drug-resistant) epilepsy, is non-speaking and is a wheelchair user. 

His parents Siobhan and Declan Mannion have worked tirelessly to get Jamie as much therapy and equipment as they can, to help him live his best life.

Jamie Mannion with brother Ryan and parents Declan and Siobhan.

They set up the Trexo for Jamie fundraiser on Gofundme.ie to try and raise €45,000 to buy Jamie a machine that is a wearable robotic to aid him to stand up and walk. 

Jamie had got a chance to use the machine in Toronto during intense therapy with marked improvements. However while it is available to hire in Canada, it is not yet available in Ireland. 

The Brown family's public request had an incredible impact on the fundraiser.

Siobhan who is also Jamie's full time carer told the Leinster Express / Laois Live more.

"It's still emotional, David's picture is here in our house. That part is not really my story to tell, but for somebody who in their darkest moment is thinking of someone else, I still get emotional about it. It blows me away. It's the measure of the Browns," she said.

The families had been good acquaintances before David's tragic death. 

"Declan is a builder and was good friends with James who is a painter. Carmel followed Jamie's Instagram account. Declan did a big job in their house and David would always be asking him how Jamie was getting on. 

"We weren't that long into the campaign. We had launched it in November. We got some help from another person who never met us, a Laois person who heard me on the radio. They rang me and came over and spent a day doing videos and set up the Trexo for Jamie website and we were able to launch it from there. I didn't want to ask the community again for money, so we had looked for corporate donations.

"My son Ryan is 14 and in Portlaoise Panthers Basketball Club and they got behind us and held matches with the hashtag #trexoforjamie. The community had started to really get behind it.

"In March I was speaking on the Ray D'Arcy show and then on April 9, David died. The fundraiser was mentioned at David's funeral. It was a really emotional time. We didn't want to benefit from it, but it has been a really positive thing. How can someone think of other people in such a time of grief? It means a lot to us. 

"At that point we had raised €10,000, but by the end of May, we raised another €35,000. Most of those people we didn't even know. Portlaoise GAA, David's beloved club also gave us great support," Siobhan said.

Since then they were able to buy the machine and it has made a huge difference to Jamie's life and mobility.

"The Trexo has been really lifechanging. We bought it from Canada. It was designed by the inventor's niece who had Cerebral Palsy, for children to experience walking, to increase their muscletone, it's good for their bowels, their respiratory systems, their inclusion. Jamie can now stand up with his peers.

Jamie out walking with the help of his Trexo.

"We've noticed he has put on weight for the first time ever, he has put on quite a bit of muscle. He's been well so far this winter. His stepping action is improved, he can cruise around by side stepping, he's aware of what his legs can do now.

"I had to do a lot of physio, but he is 11 now and getting too big for me. Now I don't have to do as much, and he's doing something he really enjoys. He's getting the sensory experience of walking, and he's a real sensory seeker, and it gets his energy out. It's been a life changing experience for him.

"He is doing good now. He has walked 125,000 steps. We have a treadmill so he can walk inside and when the weather is good he tends to take more steps outside, like us all," she said.

Siobhan is a native of Chapelizod in Dublin and Declan is from Roscommon. Jamie attends St Anne's special school in Roscrea.

"We are here in Portlaoise for 17 years. Jamie has really been embraced, people come up to say hello to him, it's lovely," she said.

David's parents James and Carmel have expressed their gladness at the success of the campaign.

David's uncle and godfather Justin Brown spoke to the Leinster Express / Laois Live on the couple's behalf.

"They are delighted that something so good could come out of a tragedy.