The sister of a man who died after a crash on the M50 last week has thanked strangers who stayed with him until the end for their ‘incredible act of kindness’.

Derek Martin (42), a prison officer at Wheatfield Prison, lost his life after his motorcycle collided with a truck at around 10am between the Liffey Valley and Castleknock junctions.

He was described by his sister Helen on Lunchtime Live today as “the life and soul of every room he walked into”.

Helen said people were trying to film the scene of last Friday’s crash but were stopped from doing so by kind strangers.

“Unfortunately, there were some people trying to record the accident, taking videos and pictures and stuff,” she said.

“But some really good people used their cars as a barricade to stop that from happening.

“They sat with my brother and they were there with him so he wasn’t alone and I really want to find those people to say thanks so much.”

Derek’s family have found some solace in the act of kindness, according to Helen.

I’ve just been told that when my brother passed away on the M50 on Friday that several cars stopped and people sat around him until the ambulance came so he wasn’t alone, i really want to find them if people can please share ?

— Helen? (@_helenmartin_) May 20, 2024

“In such a difficult time, it’s nice to know there are such incredible human beings out there who would do something so kind and put themselves in danger,” she said.

“The M50 was absolutely mental that day and they put themselves in danger to help my brother.

“It’s such a dark, dark, horrible time and it’s so comforting to know people were there with him so it would make me feel better to tell them how much it means to me and my family.

“It’s been such a great sense of comfort to my mam and dad knowing that he wasn’t alone, it’s so nice to know he wasn’t.”

'Life and soul'

Helen said her brother “loved his job” as a prison officer at Wheatfield.

“He was the life and soul of every room he walked into," she said.

“He was my best friend; he texted me on Friday morning to say he had bought us concert tickets and that we were going in June.

“He said to 'make sure you get the day off work’ and I said, ‘I will don’t worry’ – and later that afternoon the accident happened.”

Hearing the news

Helen was on shift as a nurse when she heard the news.

“My sisters were ringing me, I was getting loads of missed calls and I knew my family knew I was at work,” she said.

“I thought ‘What the hell are they ringing me for’ but I answered and my sister told me the news – I had to leave work immediately.”

Helen said she has so far been able to thank around three of the eight people she believed stayed with her brother on the M50 as he passed last Friday.

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Main image: M50 motorway in Dublin. Image: Peter Cavanagh / Alamy Stock Photo