POPULAR news anchor Aiden Kennedy died shortly after announcing on social media that she had an incurable disease and asking people to “keep an eye” on her children.
an acquaintance on UTV news bulletins over the years, the 43-year-old revealed she received palliative care in a Twitter post on Friday morning and died later that night.
In her latest social media post, the beloved journalist, who was recently admitted to hospital, made a heartbreaking plea to her followers to care for their young children after her death. She said: “Life has not gone well and I am as sick as I am. and when I went to the hospital. [I’m] they essentially go home to die, but receive palliative care. The children know. If you come across them, will you follow them? They are the kindest, kindest, most caring children. “
Her former employer, UTV, issued a statement describing her as a talented journalist and expressing sympathy for her family.
A spokeswoman said: “The UTV family is deeply saddened to hear about the death of former colleague and friend Aidan Kennedy. A truly gifted reporter, she spent many years on UTV, bringing viewers stories from all over Northern Ireland.
DUP MLA Emma Little-Pengeli said she was “absolutely devastated” by the death of her handsome, funny, kind friend. She added: “I will miss him terribly. We met 22 years ago when we shared a room for the summer in DC and we became close friends. Goodbye beautiful girl. ”
Alliance adviser Sian Mulholland tweeted: “My heart is absolutely broken for Aiden’s parents, who now had to say goodbye to their four children. Life can be extremely cruel. ”
SDLP adviser Simas de Faoit said he was “heartbroken” about the news: “Mom has been watching Aiden, Dara and Fiona for years. Aiden was such a bright light that she had been through so much.
Following Aideen’s announcement on social media, there was an outpouring of love and sympathy from her friends, followers and former colleagues.
BBC forecaster Bara Best said: “I am very sorry to have read this. Life can really be bitter. And, of course, we will keep an eye on them [Aideen’s children]. I will try to have a decent time. “
Aiden was one of four siblings and the fourth to die young. She is survived by her two children, Jacob and Eva, as well as her parents, Noel and Maura.
Speaking to the Belfast Telegraph in 2019, she spoke about the tragedies that befell her brothers and sister. She lost her older sister Fiona to cancer in 2016, less than a year after her beloved younger brother Dara died of a brain tumor.
Aiden said: “I grew up in Belfast. It was me, my parents – my father was an engineer and my mother was a teacher – my sister Fiona and my brother Dara.
“Both Fiona and Dara have died in recent years. Fiona was 44 and Dara was only 35. They were my best friends.
“I had another brother, Rory, who died in a car accident when he was alone. We talked about him all the time.
“Seamus Heaney’s break in between reminds me of Rory. The line “I saw him for the first time in six weeks. Now paler, with a poppy bruise on his left temple, he always stayed with me.
“My mother told me that Rory looked like an angel and would not know that anything had happened except the bruise.
“I remember a teacher reading this poem. It immediately made me think of him.
“My mother Maura and father Noel are the strongest and most wonderful people I know. Since my mother is a teacher and my father is from Argentina, the nature of our family has always put children at the forefront.
“We are very family-oriented. We were a very close family and we did a lot together. “
In the same interview, Aiden paid tribute to his parents, who survive over all their children.
She said: “They have been through so much, losing three of their children, but refusing to let life take over. They are fun, loving and supportive and enjoy all that life has to offer. They are bridge champions. Although I don’t approve of them playing bridge around the world because my nerves get nervous when they get annoyed, I admire their attitude towards life. “
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