Heartbroken family members of a young student who tragically lost her life in a car accident have initiated a fundraising campaign to repatriate her remains. Chloe Hipson, a 21-year-old student, perished alongside four friends following a fatal collision involving their VW Golf on a road near Dundalk, Co Louth, Ireland, shortly after 9pm on a Saturday. Chloe, hailing from Bellshill, Lanarkshire, Scotland, passed away alongside her friends Chloe McGee, Alan McCluskey, Dylan Commins, and Shay Duffy, all from the Republic of Ireland.
Bellshill Amateurs FC launched the fundraiser to assist in bringing Chloe Hipson’s body back to Scotland and supporting with funeral expenses. The club expressed deep sorrow for Chloe’s brother, Ryan, who is a member of the team. The fundraising effort, spearheaded by Steven McLuckie on GoFundMe, has raised over £17,000 to date.
Steven McLuckie described Chloe as a vibrant young woman with a promising future, emphasizing the untimely loss suffered by her family. The goal of the fundraiser is to aid the Hipson family in covering funeral costs and facilitating the return of Chloe’s remains for a proper farewell.
More than 700 individuals have contributed to the fundraiser, with an outpouring of support continuing. Chloe, a second-year student at the Dundalk Institute of Technology (DkIT), tragically lost her life in a collision involving a Volkswagen Golf and a Toyota Land Cruiser in Gibstown.
Chloe and her friends were reportedly en route to Dundalk for an evening out when the accident occurred. The news of the tragedy has deeply affected Ireland, with Prime Minister Micheal Martin expressing shock and Deputy Prime Minister Simon Harris acknowledging the profound sadness enveloping the nation.
Relatives of Chloe, including her cousin Elizabeth Elliot and aunts Chantelle Hipson and Marie Mcstravock, have shared heartfelt messages of grief and remembrance on social media, highlighting the profound loss felt by the family and the impact of Chloe’s departure.
For those interested in contributing to the online fundraiser, the donation link is available here.