Helen O'Driscoll forgives adopted son who stabbed her twin boys in murder suicide

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Helen O'Driscoll marks one year anniversary by pledging her forgiveness
The 44-year-old said she was 'always miss' her young children
Shared story to help people who are struggling with their mental health

Published: 06:05 EST, 4 September 2015 | Updated: 07:54 EST, 4 September 2015

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A mother who lost three sons in a devastating murder-suicide will mark the first anniversary of her loss by pledging her forgiveness.

On September 4, 2014, Helen O'Driscoll, from Charleville, in Cork, came home to find her nine-and-a-half-year-old twins, Patrick and Thomas – known, affectionately, as Paddy and Tom Tom – had been stabbed to death by her eldest son, Jonathan, 21.

Adopted by Mrs O'Driscoll, 44, and her husband Thomas, 46, after they took him in at just three days old, Jonathan had been battling depression, after failing to make contact with his biological family some years earlier.

Helen O'Driscoll's nine-year-old twin sons Patrick and Thomas, pictured together above, were murdered by their adopted brother Jonathan, 21

Mrs O'Driscoll who discovered her twins' bodies when she came home after a shopping trip she made to buy them a gift, said: 'Jonathan loved the boys so much. But he was suffering with depression. I forgive him for what he did and will feel like this for the rest of my life.'

A year on from the tragedy, Mrs O'Driscoll, who is also mother to Jimmy and Martin, is urging people who suspect they are suffering from mental health issues to seek help.

This weekend, her family will mark the anniversary of their loss, with a church service and gathering.

On September 4, 2014, Mrs O'Driscoll said goodbye to her sons before they went to school in the morning.

Afterwards, she went to nearby Waterford with her husband to buy the twins a miniature traditional travelling wagon.

While they were out, Jonathan called saying he had collected his brothers from school and there was no need to rush back. She even spoke to Paddy on the phone.

Jonathan, pictured centre, stabbed his nine-year-old twin brother Patrick and Thomas more than 40 times before taking his own life

But a scene of unimaginable horror awaited them. They returned home to find their younger boys dead. They had sustained more than 40 stab wounds in a knife attack.

Police then found the body of their brother Jonathan an hour later. He had hanged himself in a wooded area beside a river just outside Buttevant, 15km from the family home.

Mrs O'Driscoll recalled the last conversation she had with her eldest son.

She said: 'Jonathan collected the children from school and he told me everything was all right. I was talking to him 15 minutes before he died. He said everything was okay and to take my time. I said "I'm nearly home now, son". I was about seven miles away.

'He put Paddy on the phone, who sounded so happy. I told him to be a good boy and he said, 'I will, Mummy, I will. Love you. I told him I loved him too and that was the last I ever heard from my children.'

Sadly, Thomas and Patrick didn't get to play with the wagon their mother had bought them that day. Their lives were tragically cut short by the elder brother they adored.

Speaking about her young twins, Mrs O'Driscoll said 'Paddy loved motorbikes' and 'Thomas would have been in the army'

Mrs O'Driscoll said 'Jonathan loved the boys so much. But he was suffering with depression', pictured together left with their father Thomas and right with the twins

Mrs O'Driscoll believes Jonathan was battling depression, as he could not find his place in the world.

She said: 'Jonathan told me he was depressed about it, so I brought him to the doctor's a year-and-a-half before he died and he was on a lot of tablets.

'He spoke to me about his family and I helped him as much as I could. He asked me about his parents, but I didn't know a lot about the people, so I just told him as much as I knew myself.

'Then he went looking for them when he was around 17. He thought there was a silver lining. He thought maybe there was someone out there better than we were.

'He went to a social worker, but he didn't get very far. He talked to them about his mother and father and got their names but he never met them.

'He wanted to know about his siblings, but social services wouldn't tell him anything about them. There was no silver lining on the other side for him, God love him, and it troubled him.

'He used to sit down and watch that programme on television where they try and find their sisters and brothers. Sometimes he'd just get up and walk out the door. I'd follow him out and ask if he was okay, and he'd tell me he was grand – but I knew his heart was breaking.'

Mrs O'Driscoll, pictured with Patrick and Thomas, said she visits her son's graves 'a lot' and she said she will 'always miss them'

Thomas and Patrick, pictured left and right with brother Jonathan, didn't get to play with the wagon their mother had bought them as their lives were tragically cut short by the elder brother they adored

Mrs O'Driscoll shared a picture of her and her adopted son Jonathan in happier times

Mrs O'Driscoll is sharing her story in a bid to reach people who may also be struggling with their mental health, like Jonathan did.

Firmly believing it's harder for men to discuss such problems, she said: 'They really need to find somebody they can trust, that they can talk to. It can be a good friend, but then they need to go to the doctor.

'I think people can get embarrassed. I think it's harder for boys to talk about their problems. They have an image to live up to. I was helping Jon. I was the one that got him to go to his GP.'

Talking about her three boys' funeral, held at Holy Cross Church, on 7 September last year, Mrs O'Driscoll said: 'It was the biggest in Charleville. I had people come all the way from Galway in a bus just to attend the funeral.

'I had people bringing flowers, letters, cards. It was unbelievable the amount of people reaching out to us. It lets you know how much strangers think of you.'

Mrs O'Driscoll said Jonathan, pictured centre, had been to see a doctor 'a year-and-a-half before he died' and he was on 'a lot of tablets'

Now, 12 months on, she added: 'We're going to have a first anniversary mass at the church and a blessing at the graves and then sandwiches and tea in my yard.'

The kind hearted mother still thinks about her three boys every day.

Remembering them fondly, she said: 'They loved boxing and I think they would have got to the top.

'They were good at swimming, too. Paddy loved motorbikes and wanted one when he got bigger. Thomas would have been in the army. He loved the clothes.

'Jonathan loved boxing and football and karate. I loved all my children and they loved me.

'On Jon's birthday in May we went down to where he died and put a plaque on the tree and we went to his grave. We did the same for the twins on their birthday in November.

'We visit their graves a lot and I think about my boys every day. I'll always miss them.'

For confidential support in the UK, contact the Samaritans on 08457 90 90 90 or visit a local Samaritans branch or www.samaritans.org.