Conor McGregor is putting his fame and clout to good use.
The MMA titan has backed the incredible work being done by the Irish charity The Kevin Bell Repatriation Trust, by posing in a photo wearing a Kevin Bell GAA jersey and helping to spread awareness of the fantastic work they do.
The Kevin Bell Repatriation Trust has been helping Irish families who have lost a loved one abroad in tragic or sudden circumstances since 2013.
They provide financial aid in repatriating bodies back to their families, alleviating a significant financial burden.
It was set up to honour the memory of Newry man, Kevin Bell, who was killed in a hit and run incident working in New York in June 2013. When the news of Kevin’s tragic passing spread around Newry, locals rushed to donate money to bring him home and raised around £150,000.
#bfa2016 @fionaflynn13 @MartinMorgan13 #lakechala #Tanzania pic.twitter.com/eLFd3nWqfs
— Bosco For Africa (@boscoforafrica) July 19, 2016
Many thanks to Fox brothers, @BarryFox3 & @sliceoflife83 pictured at 10.55 am at 1344 m above sea level #BenNevis pic.twitter.com/bzmp0CWYBw
— KBRT (@KBRT2013) July 19, 2016
At the time, Kevin’s employers paid the bill to get the 26-year-old back home, so the Bell family decided that the money raised should be used to help other families who found themselves in a similar situation.
Conor Mc Gregor, who is busy in Las Vegas training for his next fight, took time out to raise awareness of the charity by wearing the Kevin Bell GAA jersey.
The photo appears on The Kevin Bell Repatriation Trust’s Facebook page and has over 2,000 likes so far.
McGregor was made aware of the charity by a Newry coach who is helping him train for his upcoming fight. The charity posted the photo on Facebook today along with the following words:
“Tanya Murphy’s dad took his jersey to Las Vegas and gave it to Conor Mc Gregor. Her dad, Owen Murphy and Conor Wallace from St Monica’s boxing club in Newry are in Las Vegas in a training camp helping Mc Gregor Prepare for his next fight. Her dad wanted to get a photo with Mc Gregor to raise awareness for such a great charity. Mc Gregor said he never heard of the charity by after being filled in he said ‘it’s great work you do’.”
As well as financial assistance, the trust offers advice and support to these families, who are grieving the loss of a loved one while also having to deal with local authorities abroad.
Since 2013, the trust has assisted almost 200 families and continues to do such important work. If you would like to donate to the trust or find out more, you can here.
