Lottie Ryan and her family have cancelled an upcoming trip to Italy, following an outbreak of the coronavirus.
The family were supposed to go to Italy to mark the 10th anniversary of their father Gerry’s death next month – but they don’t think they should risk their health by going.
Gerry, who was best known for hosting his own breakfast show on RTÉ 2fm, died suddenly on April 30th, 2010, at the age of 53.
Lottie told the Sunday Independent: “We were supposed to go over to Italy for my dad’s anniversary next month and I just don’t think it is going to happen now.”
“We have our flights booked and everything and have been planning this for a while but we can’t risk it.”
“It is so disappointing because this was our plan as a family to remember him but the fact that it just isn’t safe to travel,” she continued.
“And the one case of coronavirus in Ireland has come from Italy so you have to put the emotion aside.”
“It is disappointing because it would have been really nice, because it would have brought back so many lovely memories.”
“But look, the most important thing is that we are still together as a family; it just would have been a nice way for us to be together and a nice place with good memories for us. It is what it is, and we will find something else to do and life goes on.”
So far, two people have been diagnosed with the coronavirus in Ireland, and they contracted the potentially deadly illness while in Italy.
29 people have died from the virus in Italy so far, and over 1,000 people have been infected.
Lottie said: “It is frightening to think how quickly something like this can just close down the world but it is the right decision for us as a family.”
