MORE than 1,300 people have rallied to support the family of a dad-of-five from Ballydehob who was critically injured in a workplace accident.

Sean O’Sullivan was airlifted to Cork University Hospital and remains in its intensive care unit after a large piece of metal was torn loose and struck him on the head.

A GoFundMe set up for Sean, his wife Ruth and their five children had by Tuesday of this week raised €113,000 of its €120,000 target with over 1,300 donations.

Sean sustained a serious head injury and a friend who describes the O’Sullivans as ‘one of the most beautiful families I have ever had the privilege of knowing’ said they are ‘praying for a miracle’.

Katie McCormick, who set up the fundraiser, wrote: ‘We all know the strength of Sean and I believe we will see a miracle. Life is still beating in him. 

‘Sean O’Sullivan is not simply a good man — he is one of those rare souls who reminds you that genuine goodness still walks this earth. He is the kind of man who, without being asked, would show up at a neighbour’s farm in crisis.

‘The kind of man who has poured himself out — his hands, his knowledge, his sweat — for countless people across West Cork who needed help and had nowhere else to turn.

‘Those who know him will tell you the same thing: he carries himself with a quiet, unshakeable strength and a deep humility… He is utterly devoted to his wife, Ruth, and to their five precious children. He is their world. He is their provider, their protector, their foundation.’

Sean was the sole provider for his family, working double in the months leading up to the tragedy to finish the remodel on the family home so Ruth and the children could finally move in. The family had just moved in to their home. Katie said: ‘But the home is still very much a construction site, and now the man who built it with his own two hands — who poured his love, his tears, and his very life into those walls — is not there to finish it.’

She said the funds would go directly to Ruth and the children ‘so they can be present with Sean, sitting beside him, praying over him’ and will help complete the home ‘Sean sacrificed so much to build for them’. Independent Ireland leader Michael Collins TD said he was ‘deeply saddened’ to learn of the tragic accident.

He told The Southern Star: ‘This has been an incredibly difficult and traumatic time for Sean, his devoted wife Ruth, their five beautiful children and close family and friends.

‘Many people have contacted me in relation to Sean, about the man he is and his devotion to his family. One person that contacted me summed him up, quite simply, he is “a pure gent” — Sean is a man who is highly regarded, widely respected, and deeply valued within his community.

‘His decency and willingness to help others have never gone unnoticed, and the outpouring of support in recent days is a testament to the type of person he is.’ Deputy Collins acknowledged the ‘extraordinary staff’ at CUH for their care and compassion which he described as ‘nothing short of exceptional’.

He concluded: ‘As a community, we must now rally around them and offer whatever support we can, whether that is through practical help, prayer, or financial assistance.’

To support Sean and his family visit the GoFundMe page (donate to help sean osullivans family in this crisis).