Mother of three Kathy Kelly has had to bury two of her children.
Her eldest son, Thomas Kelly, died after he was coward punched while on a night out in Sydney’s King Cross in 2012. He was 18.
His younger brother Stuart died by suicide in July last year. He was also 18.
Now Kathy Kelly has spoken to Business Chicks about her grief, their family’s work, and the legacy of her two sons.
“I’m 55, I could have another 30 years left ahead of me, but I’ve done what I wanted to do,” Kathy told Business Chicks.
“I’ve had fun, I got married, I’ve had love in my life, I’ve had children, who are the love of your life, and most of that’s been taken away from me. So sometimes I feel like what’s the point? But you have to make a point because what would Madeleine do without us?”
Madeline is the Kelly’s 21-year-old daughter.
Since the death of Thomas in 2012, the family have worked to set up the Thomas Kelly Youth Foundation and lobbied for safer streets.
They’ve pushed for stricter laws and punishment around alcohol and drug-related violence. And they’ve started education programs in schools to try and address the dangerous drinking culture shared by young people in Australia.
Last week, the Foundation also launched a Stay Kind initiative. (Stay Kind has the same initials as Stuart Kelly). The movement is about kindness and caring for one another. Australia is currently seeing its highest rate of youth suicide in a decade.
"People say to me all the time, ‘you’re so strong. I wouldn’t be able to do that if that was my child.’ And I get quite hurt by that," Kathy said.
"I know that people always mean it in the nicest possible way, but it makes me feel like I’m some cold person. They don’t think they’d be able to do it because they’d be in a heap."
Top Comments
Even the mandatory 8 years, or the 10 years for the manslaughter of Thomas Kelly - is pitiful for taking the whole life that Thomas had ahead of him. Not to mention the damage done to the people who love him. Regardless of the intent, or the influence of alcohol - if you take a life through this type of violence, you should spend the rest of your life repenting for it.
Australia really needs to take alcohol abuse - because that is what drinking to excess is - much more seriously. Alcohol is not an excuse for violent behaviour, and not everyone who drinks becomes violent - but far too many do. We need to stop accepting alcohol abuse as part of our culture.
I disagree here - locking this man up for life will do nothing for anyone. 10 years seems fair. I am sure he will repent the rest of his life.
My view is intent is more punishable the consequence- ie attempted murder is as bad as murder, high range drink driving is as bad as manslaughter as that's where it could lead.
This guy is guiltily of manslaughter and assault and deserved a long sentence and he got it - any longer it equates what he did with actual planned murder which it is not.
We also need room for redemption or people won't strive to be better.
Locking him up for life removes a violent killer from the streets. He didn't just make a minor mistake. He chose to hit Thomas that hard - he intended to hit him - and he should have known what the consequences could be. His intent was vile. If he wants redemption, let him find it by finding a way to make himself useful in/from jail. He doesn't deserve a life of freedom.
I wonder how the family of Thomas Kelly would feel about your assertion that locking him up for life will do "nothing for anyone". I for one would not consider 10 years to be long if it was my son who was killed. The killer is a young man - he will have the chance of a long life ahead of him after his sentence. And there is no guarantee at all that he will spend it repenting for his mistake.
10 years might be considered "long" by the standards of the justice system - but sentences for serious crimes are not considered anywhere near long enough by the vast majority of Australians.