Family of heart transplant boy Dáithí 'devastated' as gift-laden car stolen

The father of a child who inspired a change in Northern Ireland's organ donation rules said he is "devastated" after the family's car was stolen in Belfast on Wednesday.

Máirtín Mac Gabhann told BBC News NI of how his son Dáithí's wheelchair and their Christmas presents were among items in the car as it was taken from their Whitecliff Crescent home in west Belfast.

Police have since made three arrests and recovered the stolen vehicle from a shopping centre in west Belfast.

Mr Mac Gabhann's son Dáithí has been on a waiting list for a heart transplant since 2018, and along with his family has campaigned to raise awareness and uptake of organ donation in Northern Ireland.

When Mr Mac Gabhann awoke and saw that his car had vanished from the street he initially thought it was a joke someone he knew had pulled on him.

"Just that utter shock of the car not being there is hard to explain," he said.

"I almost didn't want to believe that it was stolen", he said.

However neighbours' CCTV confirmed it was taken at about 03:50 GMT.

It had been full of Christmas presents as well as his son's wheelchair, something he said his son "can't live without, can't go to school, get on with his day, or even leave the house".

"Our whole day then changes because Dáithí can't go to school, he can't go outside, he can't go anywhere" without his wheelchair, Mr McGabhann told BBC Radio Ulster.

Dealing with the theft also caused Mr Mac Gabhann to miss his son's Christmas school play.

"I'm gutted to imagine him looking out into the audience and not seeing his dad there," he added.

His cousin attended the play and sent him a video. "I just broke down crying because of his wee happy face just looking into the crowd.

"I just remember all of Dáithí's school plays and the way his face would light up when he would see me or his mum.

"Presents can be replaced... but memories can't be replaced."

Mr Mac Gabhann said the family are trying their best "not to let it affect" Christmas for their two sons.

"Our Dáithí has been through so much in his young life that we will not let these actions affect our joy of Christmas," he said.

"I just can't believe this has happened around here, but I am blessed the community has rallied around us and showed us all this support."

Dáithí's Law was passed in his name to increase the number of organs available to people in need of a transplant, with the number of donors going up since the law was introduced in 2023.

Northern Ireland had previously been the only part of the UK where this type of organ donation system had not been in place.

The law only applies to people aged 18 and over, but Mr Mac Gabhann previously told BBC News NI that "it indirectly helps Dáithí through organ donation being normalised in society".

The stolen car had been later recovered at shopping centre on the Falls Road, and he was present minutes after police officers recovered it.

"I managed to look one of the people arrested in the eye and I'm not carrying any anger towards them, I hope those that did this can find a better path in life."

Some of the items from the car have since been recovered.

"We've thankfully managed to get the wheelchair back, we were told it had been dumped out of the car into someone's house."

He said there had also been a new games console in the car, which suspects had attempted to pawn, after stealing the vehicle.

"This has never happened to us before, today has been surreal."

Police made three arrests following the report of the stolen car.

Srgt Quinn from Woodbourne's Local Policing Team said: "A report came in around 12:00 GMT of a suspicious vehicle in the Falls Road area, on police attendance it was noted to be the stolen vehicle.

"In an attempt to stop it, two police vehicles and a car belonging to a member of the public have been damaged.

"A 23-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of burglary and a number of driving related offences. A 35-year-old woman and a 43-year-old woman have been arrested on suspicion of handling stolen goods.

"They all remain in custody at this time."