The devastated mother of the Irish boy who died in an accident in Turkey with his father says: he loved life.

“I just hope that when it happened - I don’t know how it happened - he was smiling.” (left to right)

Dylan, Eoin, and Cian Fitzpatrick.

(Image: provided)

A heartbroken mother of an Irish boy who died alongside his father in a terrible accident during their vacation, holding back tears, praises him. "He was the kindest, most wonderful person," Claire Dowling told The Irish Mirror as she was heading to Turkey after the death of her son Dylan (10 years old) and his father Eoin Fitzpatrick in a road accident at a tourist resort on Monday.

Ms. Dowling spoke exclusively with us when she traveled to Turkey to comfort her surviving son, Cian (14 years old), who was on vacation with his father and brother when the tragedy occurred at the resort in Alanya on Monday afternoon.

Dylan and Mr. Fitzpatrick (36 years old) died when their moped collided with a bus around 3:30 PM on Monday - just a few hours before the family was supposed to finish their vacation and return home to Portlaoise in County Laois on Tuesday morning.

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Cian, who is a talented GAA player, was with Mr. Fitzpatrick's partner and her children and did not witness the terrible accident, as a result of which the bus driver was later arrested.

Mrs. Dowling, who, like Mr. Fitzpatrick, lives on the grounds of Clonroosk Abbey in Portlaoise, went to Dublin Airport on Tuesday to catch a flight to Turkey after being informed of the death of her son and former partner.

But she told The Mirror on her way to the western coastal town where the accident happened, to pay tribute to her son. She said that she still doesn't know what happened. "I didn't even have time to get to Turkey to see my boy or his father. No one told me anything," she said.

But she added: "I'm just happy that they are together. My little boy. I just hope that when it happened - I don't know how it happened - he was smiling. He loves me and he loves his dad too, and I'm so glad that they are together somewhere now."

And Mrs. Dowling broke down in tears, talking about how much her little son Dylan loved her. She said, "He was the kindest, the kindest person, but he could cut you in half. "He had such a character, and anyone who met him would say the same. "He is 10 years old, and he always takes my hand and says he loves me, wherever we are. He is so kind."

She added, "He loves to draw, swim, and play golf - he enjoys everything that normal ten-year-old kids don't like. He's different from the others. 'I come out of my bedroom in a dress, and I might not look very good, and my teenager won't say anything, but my little boy will say, 'Mommy, you look beautiful.' He's so kind. 'He loves life.'

Ms.

She also talked about her last conversation with the boys, in which they expressed how much they were looking forward to going home. She said, "(Dylan) was in a great mood. I asked him, both of them, 'So, are you looking forward to going home?' I asked if they missed home, and they both said: WI-FI, Xbox, Chinese food, and of course, me."

Other family members who spoke to The Mirror in Portlaoise expressed their fears that it could take from a week to 10 days before the remains of Dylan and Eoin are returned to Ireland. They also emphasized that Ms. Dowling and Mr. Fitzpatrick were devoted parents and united in their care for the children, even though they were no longer in a relationship.

Turkish media reports that a father and son were struck by a bus near a pedestrian crossing on Monday afternoon. Medics and police rushed to the scene, but the father and son were pronounced dead. The bus driver, a 28-year-old Turkish citizen, has been arrested. Turkish police confirmed that the two deceased were Irish and were on holiday in the area when the incident occurred. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that it is providing consular assistance in this case. A representative told The Mirror: "The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is aware of the case and is providing consular assistance. As with all consular cases, the ministry does not comment on the details of any specific case." Brian Stanley, a member of the Laois-Offaly party who lives near Ms. Dowling, told The Star/Mirror that the community was shocked by the tragedy and that Ms. Dowling's boys were well-known in the area. He said that the close-knit community would support the families.