‘They are meant to be there’ – Anna Geary on the heartache of losing a sibling

Anna Geary tragically lost her brother in November 2023

Her brother Thomas sadly passed away following a short illness in November 2023.

Anna said the loss of a sibling is so poignant because they're meant to be such a big part of your future.

In a heartbreaking interview with The Irish Times, the mum said it's a loss that completely throws you.

Anna said the loss of a sibling is not talked about enough.

She shared: "Losing a parent has a significance and magnitude, but losing a sibling is not talked about as much.

"My dad was so much a part of my past but a sibling is so much of your future, all those milestones.

Anna added: "They are meant to be there with you when your parents aren’t. So suddenly realising I was going to be navigating that on my own was, and still is, a challenge."

Anna said having a tiny baby to care for helped pull her out of grief, but she said some people don't have that to lean on.

Being a mother helped give her purpose, Anna admitted.

"I had to keep going even when I didn’t feel like it. Some people don’t have that, they are so lost because they’ve nothing else to focus on," she said.

The sportswoman said she was grateful Thomas got to meet her son Ronan before his untimely passing.

She said they spent a short time together before Thomas died in November 2023.

"He melted when he met Ronan and I’m really glad he had that short time with him," Anna shared.

The loss of a sibling is something we can't even begin to comprehend but there's no doubt Anna will make many experiencing that grief feel understood and seen.

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