An Ennis native has received a global response of public support which has “restored” his faith in humanity.
Fifty one year old Edmund O’Leary who is a father of twins now living in Surrey where he has been out of work as a chef took to Twitter over the weekend to seek support. “I am not ok. Feeling rock bottom. Please take a few seconds to say hello if you see this tweet. Thank you.”
O’Leary was left stunned with a “phenomenal response” to the tweet which has been retweeted over 14,000 times with over 18.5 million individuals viewing the post. BBC correspondent Fergal Keane, CNN anchor Jake Tapper, actress Sophia Bush and Vampire Diaries star Joseph Morgan were among those to send messages of support.
Others offered to call for a chat, invitations for coffee followed along with advice for a CV. Pictures from all over the globe were sent to Edmund, parents shared photos of drawings by children especially for him while he was also sent videos of pets.
A trustee of mental health charity, Love Me Love My Mind, Edmund said that even though he would love to respond to every person who has reached out to him, he would “have to employ staff” to do so.
He said, “The whole experience has been absolutely surreal and provides me with a lot of hope. I’ve gone from feeling like a nobody to feeling like a somebody. To have that happen overnight is just surreal, something that most ordinary people have never experienced or will never experience”.
