Justice for Declan Laverty memorial walk attended by hundreds
Declan Laverty’s mother Samara has shared her gratitude for the Top End community as the one-year anniversary of his death approaches. See pictures from the memorial walk.
Northern Territory
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It’s been almost one year since Declan Laverty clocked in for his final shift at the Airport Tavern BWS.
What happened on the night of March 19 2023 has been much talked about in the Top End community since, but for one family all that matters was that they lost their little boy.
In honour of the one-year anniversary of Declan’s death, hundreds of people came together for a “peaceful walk” at the Jingili Water Gardens on Saturday.
Led by mother and anti-violence advocate Samara Laverty, the walk was attended by locals and politicians including Chief Minister Eva Lawler.
Ms Laverty said she was blown away by the support that she has had in the months since her son’s death.
“I just want to say thank you to every single person for coming today, it means the world to me,” she said.
Declan’s younger sister Bridget did not attend and Ms Laverty said she still struggled to process the loss of her big brother.
“I just hope that when you think of Declan you remember that he does have siblings who are grieving just as much as everybody else,” she said.
“I’d also really like to say thank you for the peaceful walk and for allowing people to just come and be here and remember who Declan was, seeing it just means the absolute world.
“A lot of you knew you him, a lot of you only know him via social media and everything that’s come out since, but he’s not really any longer just my child, he’s everyone’s because he’s so relatable, it could have been anyone’s child, it just happened to be mine but the amount of love and support that we have gotten from everyone here will not be forgotten and we will keep working as hard as we can to just let Declan have the memory he deserves.”
Originally published as Justice for Declan Laverty memorial walk attended by hundreds
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