WIDESPREAD SORROW AT SUDDEN DEATH OF DOCTOR
THERE was a huge turnout for the funeral on Wednesday of a young Lisburn doctor who passed away suddenly in his sleep at the weekend.
Dr Peter Hagan, 40, died on Sunday October 29, leaving his wife Tracy and children Ellen and Jonathan.
Hundreds of people gathered at his funeral in St. Patrick's Parish Church on Wednesday morning to bid farewell to the well-known family man.
Dr Hagan worked at the Lakes Family Practice in Brownlow, Craigavon and was also involved in the Wallace Prep PTA, where his children are in Primary one and Primary three.
Dymphna Quinn, Practice Manager of the Lakes spoke of the devastation of Dr Hagan's colleagues and patients over the news of his passing.
She said, "Peter was at work on Friday and was in the best of form, he was always chirpy and friendly.
"He joined on October 1 last year so he had been here a year and a month and he had fitted in so well. Some would say that this is a difficult practice to work in because the patients often stay with the senior partners and won't go to the new doctors. However, only recently someone who always saw one particular doctor actually called and specifically asked for Dr Hagan. He had dealt with her recent diagnosis and she wanted him to ring her back. I remember teasing him about it, but he always had time for a joke.
"On Monday morning as we were telling patients what had happened they were walking away wiping tears, everybody here is in a state of shock.
"For such a short time here he really made a big impact. He brightened the day, he was always teasing you but he got through the work. From the start he just clicked, from the interviews he was the warmest we had seen, he was the one we wanted here in Brownlow. I can't even imagine trying to replace him.
"He was very committed to his work, he worked out of hours in Belfast on Monday nights and he worked with the travellers here, he had experience of that from Belfast where he used to work and he jumped into that with utter enthusiasm. "Peter just rose to any challenge. On Friday he approached me about taking on our Thursday half day closing rather than it going to the out-of-hours doctors. He was always thinking ahead.
"It's just unbelievable. Words can't really cover the contribution he made here in such a short time."
Jim Ward, Chairman of the Wallace PTA commented, "Peter was an avid supporter of the school and a great family man who was at all of the PTA events at the school.
"Tracy has been on the PTA committee for the last two years and Peter will be very, very sadly missed by all of his friends, both parents and teachers, at Wallace Prep and Wallace High School."
Ulster Star
03/11/2006
