http://www.katyfrench.ie/

"Welcome and thank you for being here at this website, which I have dedicated to the memory of my daughter, Katy.

The marvellous thing about a website is that it allows me to honour the beautiful human being that Katy was, showing to you her love for mankind, her positive and happy view of life, and her personal achievements without any of the misinterpretations that others have created in the media.

As any mother knows, we live to nurture our daughters in life and also in death. I was privileged to have this wonderful girl and woman, Katy Ellen French, as my daughter here on earth and I am proud and happy to know that I will have her with me every day for the rest of my life. As I remember and cherish each waking moment we were together, I know, too, that there were many other people whose lives she profoundly touched. Both Jill and I were overwhelmed by the outpour of sympathy and condolence letters and cards we received from friends as well as from those who had never met Katy but somehow felt they knew her and were close to her. And so this site is dedicated to you as much it is as to Katy, to give you an intimate glimpse into the life of someone who really seemed to know what life was about and who lived it to the full and to the best of her abilities in the short time she had with us.

Katy was not perfect. She was a human being, trying to give some meaning to her life as does each and every one of us. But she was beautiful. She had looks and style and grace. And she had a smile that stretched across her entire face, a smile that revealed the love she felt for all those around her. Not one to criticise a single soul, loving the human being in each and every one of us she met, she spent her life giving, caring for and laughing with her friends, her family and those she worked with. She was never able to come to terms with any begrudgery or selfishness she encountered along her way. It hurt her and it caused a sadness in her soul.

Katy’s website aims to give you a more complete picture of what Katy did, from writing to modelling, from publicity and PR events to her charity works, from her playtime as a child to her work as a woman. Near to the end of her life she wrote after her visit to Calcutta. She said, ‘I realised that we are all here under the eyes of God to help each other, and that He doesn’t require us to succeed, only to try’. I give to those of you, who feel, care and understand the struggles we all experience, a picture of how Katy tried and I invite you in the Tributes section to share your feelings for a lovely human being, my daughter Katy, who was one of us.

Janet French

A special thanks goes to Sean O’Cleirigh and the other moderators for setting up a dedicated bebo page."

http://www.independent.ie/entertainm...


By Stephen O'Farrell
Thursday January 08 2009
Stephen O'Farrell

THE mother of Katy French has opened her heart about her daughter's life on a new website dedicated to the tragic model.

In her most detailed eulogy since her daughter's death from a suspected cocaine overdose 13 months ago, Janet French said she "lived to nurture" Katy (24) in life and also in death.

"As I remember and cherish each waking moment we were together, I know, too, that there were many other people whose lives she profoundly touched," Ms French said.

"Both Jill (Katy's sister) and I were overwhelmed by the outpouring of sympathy and condolence letters and cards we received from friends as well as from those who had never met Katy but somehow felt they knew her."

Ms French concedes that her daughter did have her faults and describes her as a "human being trying to give some meaning to her life".

"Not one to criticise a single soul, loving the human being in each and every one of us she met, she spent her life giving, caring for and laughing with her friends, her family and those she worked with," Ms French added.

"She was never able to come to terms with any begrudgery or selfishness she encountered along her way. It hurt her and it caused a sadness in her soul."

The website, www.katyfrench.ie, includes a timeline of the Assets model's life and details her career and charity work.

A range of photographs, beginning with Katy as a baby and ending with the now infamous picture of her in a sparkling gold dress on the night of her ill-fated 24th birthday party, are also included.

Trudie Abrahamse, head of Alexandra College Junior School, described Katy's first day at the school when, as an eight-year-old girl, she appeared in the doorway "with a slightly apprehensive look in her beautiful brown eyes and smiling shyly at 20 pairs of curious eyes looking back at her".

"The Katy I knew hesitantly took a step into the room and straightened herself up and walked towards her desk," Ms Abrahamse said.

"She was, as it is termed in professional parlance, a good all-rounder, a child with a good ability in all subjects and a lovely warm personality to go with it."

Speaking on behalf of all the medical staff at Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children in Crumlin, Dr Michael McDermott thanked Katy's family for the "enormous commitment" the young model had shown to fundraising .

"Katy was always keen to play down her role and, on more than one occasion, I saw her gently persuade the assembled photographers to concentrate on the children instead," Dr McDermott said in his internet tribute.

"She used her celebrity selflessly on behalf of the sick children and their families and, I am sure, she would have remained a friend to the hospital throughout what promised to be a glittering career."

Newstalk broadcaster, Eamon Keane described Katy as someone who "alters your view of the world".

Katy's friend, Kerry councillor Michael Healy Rae said the Enniskerry, Co Wicklow, native was someone who "put more living into a very short life than many other people would have if they lived to be 100".

- Stephen O'Farrell

By Melanie Finn
Thursday January 08 2009

http://www.herald.ie/national-news/f...

Katy French’s family today launched a poignant website to pay tribute to the memory of the late model.

In a statement today, Katy’s sister Jill and mum Janet have commemorated the short life of the tragic socialite, who passed away on December 6, 2007.

Now more than a year on from her death, which came after she collapsed at a party in Kieron Ducie’s Meath home last year, they have established an official website showing their favourite images of the blonde model.

Support

And her family also thanked everyone for their support during the year.

“It has been just over a year since the tragic passing of Katy French. The French family would like to express their gratitude for the sympathy and kind wishes they have received during this time,” they said.

“Janet and Jill have created a website dedicated to Katy, to honour and preserve her memory. It has a biography and timeline page, an archive of Katy’s articles, a tributes section and photos of Katy from childhood right through to her modelling days and charity work.

“The family would like to appeal for privacy as they continue to come to terms with their tragic loss,” they said.

The website, katyfrench.ie, has already received plenty of hits from members of the public who wish to express their sympathies.

The model was rushed to hospital in the early hours of Sunday, December 2, 2007, after she collapsed following a suspected cocaine overdose. She was put on a life support machine after slipping into a coma and passed away five days later.

Although a Garda investigation was launched, no-one has ever been charged in connection with her death.

- Melanie Finn