Donal Walsh

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The Testimony of a Sick Teenager Who Prayed the Rosary and Continues to Inspire Young People

 Donal Walsh was tired of seeing young people end their lives while he fought every day for his own.

Born and raised in County Kerry, Ireland, Walsh was diagnosed with bone cancer in his tibia at the age of 12. He underwent nine months of chemotherapy and had surgery to insert a prosthetic knee. Two years later, the cancer metastasized to his lungs.

Walsh underwent surgery again, removing half of one lung, followed by another round of chemotherapy.

In October 2012, Walsh was diagnosed for the third and final time with tumors in five different parts of his body.

During his final months, Walsh dedicated himself to writing about his battle with cancer and how his faith helped him persevere through what he called “climbing God’s mountains.” He also expressed his frustration over the rising number of teenage suicides.

That’s when he decided to appear on national television to encourage young people to value life.

Just weeks before his death, Walsh appeared on the Irish talk show The Saturday Night Show with Brendan O’Connor, hoping to highlight the value of life by sharing his own story.

 

“If I’m meant to be a symbol to show people how precious life is—not just in the face of suicide—but in general, then I’d be happy to die, if that’s why I’m dying,” Walsh said during the TV interview.

 

Walsh died four weeks later, on May 12, 2013, at just 16 years old.

He spoke for 19 minutes—and those 19 minutes inspired a nation. Months later, the coroner in County Kerry reported a drop in suicide rates following Walsh’s appearance.

Ten years on, his legacy lives strong - On May 11 this year, more than 2,000 Irish students gathered at the Basilica and Shrine of Knock in County Mayo to honor Walsh’s memory. The students heard from various speakers who addressed topics affecting the modern world, particularly mental health. Walsh’s parents, Elma and Fionnbar, attended the event.

 

“When we were told he was terminal, we turned and started asking, ‘Why us?’ And he [Donal] changed the question to, ‘Why not me?’” said Fionnbar Walsh in an interview with EWTN News In Depth, part of the Catholic media group EWTN, which aired on June 2.

 

“Donal was very shaken at first, but that only lasted a few days,” added Elma Walsh. “He decided he wouldn’t let cancer define him. He wanted to do something with what was left of his life.”

 

His mother described his faith as “extraordinary.” He loved to pray the Rosary and the Divine Mercy Chaplet. Donal asked his mother to make sure he received Holy Communion daily and to ensure that he would die with a “clean spirit.”

 

“(His faith) was something innate in him. It was just there... It’s hard to explain. It was simply part of Donal,” she said.

 

After Donal’s death, his parents established the Donal Walsh #LiveLife Foundation, which has since raised over half a million euros for various life-affirming charities. Each year, students gather at Knock Basilica to attend Mass and hear motivational talks about the value of life.

 

“I think a lot of people are scared by the idea of terminal illness, but through his courage he was able to endure so much and still have faith—and that inspires people,” said Adam Walsh, a teenager who attended the event.

 

Another student, Anastasia Mullen, added: “I think it’s really inspiring. He truly became a beacon of hope for young people—he keeps hope alive.”

Elma Walsh said she hopes students leave the event knowing “that they are loved. That their lives are precious and fragile, and that no one knows what tomorrow may bring, but to cherish the things they have in life.”