How Kathleen Healed Tony Gruddy

We recently got a letter from Tony Gruddy (age 82) from Scotland, telling us how Kathleen has helped him. “My wife Kathleen sadly passed away on 19th October 2018. Since then I have found it consoling to talk to her on a regular basis. I keep three photos on the mantelpiece, one of our wedding, one of her at her office desk which I kept for many years on my own desk and another photo of when she was about 7 years old. With three beautiful smiling faces to look at I found the loneliness much easier to cope with. This I feel was because there was something different to say to the three versions of my wife in each photo. I would even try and be humorous and funny with each photo. Just as well there was no one else around to wonder if I required some sort of counselling – talking to three photos of the same person individually? However, it really worked.

Then another Kathleen came into my lonely life, Kathleen Kilbane, the ‘Little Saint’ of Achill Island who has brightened my life so much. In fact, knowing and learning about her short life has made me a better person. I want to feel her presence and I do at all times. Another bit of sadness, but in a strange way a consolation is my father died in the same Sanatorium as Kathleen in 1953 of Tuberculosis.

My sister who was also named Kathleen died in England following a long illness from Motor Neuron Disease. I asked my Little Saint if my other two Kathleen’s were happy with her in Heaven. Then I thought to myself how great it would be if she could answer that question. As I gazed at the beautiful picture on the cover of Kathleen’s book, (No More Tears In My Eyes) a wonderful thought crossed my mind, I just said, ‘Kathleen if you could take this pain away from my wrist what an answer that would be,’ not thinking for one minute that the likelihood of this happening was indeed remote. I went to bed feeling a very painful wrist.

Morning came, I proceeded to get out of bed, mistakenly using both arms to lift myself into a standing position when I realised my mistake, (I should not have used my bad arm) but to my amazement there was no pain. All through that day I put my wrist to all kinds of tests – digging, hedge cutting and even a few press-ups. I was pain-free. That was two months ago, nothing has changed.

Now my mantelpiece is like a mini-shrine to Achill’s Little Saint Kathleen Kilbane, joined by my extra two Kathleen’s in Heaven. I have placed a blue ribbon and a white rose by Kathleen’s photograph.”