Mother speaks of distress knowing people filmed son as he drowned in Cork river

Olivia Kelleher

The mother of a 33-year-old man who drowned while swimming in the River Lee in Cork on Wednesday has spoken of her distress at the fact that some onlookers opted to live stream the tragedy as it unfolded instead of helping her son.

Luke Hyde, who lived in Wolfe Tone Street in Cork, got in to difficulty in the water shortly after 7pm on Wednesday.

His body was recovered from the river and a postmortem was completed at Cork University Hospital on Thursday.

His mother, Elizabeth Hyde, contacted the Neil Prendeville Show on Cork’s Red FM on Friday to express her disgust at the decision by some passersby to film what was happening to Luke.

“I don’t think I can get through this. This is my second son [to die] in five years. The first boy Brian died suddenly. He was Luke’s older brother. He died in his sleep. My Luke — my baby. He was the youngest.

“I heard you talking this morning about what the people were doing there watching my son drown instead of trying to help him. I don’t know if these people know the heartache and the suffering we in his family are going through.

“I don’t know how I am going to get through it the second time. I am disgusted [at what people did]. I don’t think there is even a word to describe it. It will never leave me. And my son being brought up [from the water]. I will never ever forget it.

“I want people to know that I am his mother and and my baby was nearly 34 years old. My whole body is trembling. I couldn’t go to bed last night.”

Elizabeth said Luke was the most “pleasant young fella” who ever lived. She said he fought an alcohol problem but was doing well and had started a job in a supermarket on the Douglas Road in Cork last week.

“He said last week ‘Mam I am after sorting my life out now. I am getting my life together.’ He said that in a couple of years he would have €40,000 in his bank. And that he was going to make it.

“I was always extremely worried about him. I would be phoning him saying ‘where are you Luke?’ If they live to be a hundred and you are 200 they are your child.

“I was sitting downstairs watching the television last Wednesday night and I heard the helicopter going up and down the river. I thought God help us who are they looking for? I thought ‘I hope they find the person.’ Little did I know that it was my own son.”

Elizabeth tried Luke’s phone but there was no answer. A person answered shortly afterwards and said that he was a garda. Elizabeth realised the search was for her son and rushed to the scene.

“I rushed down and saw so many people. My other son was there and he said ‘Get in to the van you don’t need to see this. I said I need to hold my son.

“Did he call my name? Cos he was so attached to me. Everyone loved Luke. He was a polite, mannerly person. The most gentle person going. My son drowning and all those people looking on. I am a broken hearted mother this morning and a broken hearted family.

Luke would have turned 34 next month. Funeral arrangement will be finalised in the coming days.