Wife of Graiguecullen motorcyclist injured in by stolen vehicle grateful for support
Jackon Kuber Singh with his wife, Hari Priya. Jackson is recovering in hospital after being seriously injured when he was mowed down by a stolen vehicle
THE wife of a motorcyclist who suffered serious injuries after being mowed down by a stolen pick-up truck in July has said the support of the local community in Graiguecullen and the wider Carlow area has given her family the “strength” to keep going.
Speaking to , Hari Priya Kuber Singh, whose husband Jackson remains in hospital with serious injuries, said: “I am surviving because of them. They give me the mental and physical strength. My neighbours and friends have turned into my extended family,” she said.
Jackson suffered serious injuries in the collision, including a bleed on the brain, facial fractures, broken ribs, a shattered pelvis and liver damage.
He has already undergone extensive surgery and is due to have another operation in Tallaght on 21 September before beginning another period of intensive rehabilitation.
Hari Priya and Jackson, who live in Graiguecullen, moved to Ireland in 2022. The couple first met in tenth grade at school and are from Chennai in southern India.
They welcomed their first child, Ellora, nine months ago and she was baptised on the Saturday before Jackson’s accident on the Wednesday.
Hari Priya’s mother travelled from Chennai for the baptism and has stayed to support Hari Priya, Jackson and Ellora since the accident, but is due to return home in three weeks. Hari Priya and Ellora have temporarily moved to Cork, where Jackson is currently in hospital, so they can spend more time with him.
Jackson’s accident received national attention in early July after dashcam footage of the incident was shared on social media.
The footage showed a Ford Ranger pick-up stopped in traffic at the lights on Chaff Street before it mounted the footpath, apparently in a bid to evade gardaí, rejoined the road, running over Jackson and his motorbike before speeding off.
The incident returned to national attention following the recent tragic M9 crash in which five teenage boys were killed.
Gardaí believe that two of the deceased, Jack Kennedy (17) from Athy, and Alex McCarthy (16) from Carlow, were allegedly in the stolen pick-up truck.
Despite the circumstances of Jackson’s accident, Hari Priya said she does not harbour ill will towards those involved.
“We believe in our tradition that you should never speak ill of the dead because they are with God,” she said. “It only hurts the people who are alive. Their families have to cope with that loss, and then, in addition, there was hatred all over the internet.” She continued that Jackson loved motorbikes and bought a bike to make his commute to Dublin, where he works for Permanent TSB, easier.
Jackson is expected to remain in hospital for another two months. While Hari Priya said she is focusing on the present, she will soon have to turn her attention to preparing their home in Graiguecullen for his return.
“The doctors have told us we will have to redo our house to accommodate Jackson as he will not be able to climb the stairs and it will need to be wheelchair accessible. I am waiting for things to be more stabilised before deciding what changes I should make,” she said.
A GoFundMe page set up after the accident to support Hari Priya and Jackson through the long recovery period has so far raised €45,728.
A bike run has also been organised for Sunday 20 September, meeting at The Pint Depot at the Royal Oak, Bagenalstown at 11am. Entry is €10.
For more information on the bike run and the GoFundMe page, visit: https://gofund.me/7506a386b.
