Remembering Ebony

It has been almost a year since 12-year-old schoolgirl Ebony Giraldi died tragically and unexpectedly in the playground of her Corrimal school.

Last September Ebony died from a heart attack while on a break in the schoolyard.

The attack was caused by a disease called Myocarditis, an infection of the heart.

There was no warning that the young girl’s life was in danger before the attack.

Last week The Heart Foundation held a special ceremony at Ebony’s school, St Columbkille’s Catholic Primary, to remember her and thank her parents Paul and Jenny Giraldi and their close friend Mandy Barlogie for raising almost $90,000 for the Heart Foundation in the months following Ebony’s death.

Ms Barlogie organised a charity ball and a number of other fundraising initiatives to come up with the massive donation.

St Columbkille’s was responsible for raising almost $20,000 of this, through Jump Rope for Heart.

Ms Giraldi said they donated the money to the Heart Foundation so that they can make a difference to heart-related illnesses like the one that took Ebony, so that ‘other families never have to know the pain we suffer every day.”

Ms Giraldi said it was important to bring something positive out of the midst of a tragedy.

“Ebony’s death hasn’t gone in vain – something good has come out of it,” she said.

“And we did it in her honour, to honour her name,” Mr Giraldi added.

St Columbkille’s Principal Gayle McMahon said in a prayer during the ceremony “we may not understand why Ebony left the earth so soon (but) her life has given us memories too beautiful to forget.”

Paul and Jenny have four remaining children and live in Towradgi.