Mark Farren and his wife Terri Louise in happier times before he was so cruelly struck down with an aggressive brain tumour
THE brave wife of former hot shot Derry City striker Mark Farren has spoken for the first time about the day they received the devastating news that he had a brain tumour.
And Terri-Louise said Mark would have found it a “privilege” that his former club is to name a stand at the Brandywell stadium in honour of his memory.
Mark, 33, died in February this year after receiving treatment for an aggressive brain tumour.
His huge loss was felt all across Derry and Donegal.
In tribute to him, Derry City Football Club retired the number 18 jersey in tribute said new stand will also be named after him.
Terri-Louise Farren described Christmas Eve 2008, when Mark was diagnosed, as the moment “the world ended.”
In an interview with BBC Radio Foyle, Terri-Louise said: “When we drove up in the car, met the doctor and he just said ‘there’s no easy way of putting this but you’ve got a brain tumour,” she said.
“Everything that the doctor said after that, we didn’t even pick up. All we took in was that he had a brain tumour and that was it.”
“The following December we got married and it was just normal life for us after that.
“To me it didn’t matter if I only had him for two weeks after my wedding or five years, you’re in for the long haul and I couldn’t picture not having that.”
Not long after their marriage in 2009, the couple once again faced tragedy after Terri-Louise gave birth to premature triplets.
“They were 23 weeks plus five days when they were born but they were just so tiny.
“We had them for three weeks, they had like a two percent chance of living and we fought tooth and nail with every bone in our body to try and keep them but it wasn’t meant to be,” she said.
“Mark was the only reason I got through the girls situation and I think the trauma of that is what brought us us closer in the end.
“I used to question my faith everyday. Why me…but it definitely made us stronger as a couple.”
“I slowly watched my husband die for a year in front of me. I just hope nobody has to feel something like that.
“I know my life’s going to move on at some point and I’m happy that I’m able to move on. I’ve got to keep fighting and fighting,” added Terri-Louise.
Farren was part of the successful Derry teams that won the FAI Cup in 2006 and 2012.
He was also voted player of the year by the Professional Footballers’ Association of Ireland in 2005.
Born in Donegal, Farren played for Derry City FC from 2003 to 2012.
He scored 113 goals in 209 appearances becoming the club’s all-time leading goal scorer.
Farren was forced into early retirement after his diagnosis in 2008 but returned in 2009 following successful brain surgery.
He broke Liam Coyle’s all-time goal scoring record for the club in 2012 shortly before he left the game permanently in 2013.
In late February, Derry City and Strabane District Council confirmed that the new stand at Brandywell stadium would be named in memory of the striker.
“I think he would be absolutely privileged if he was here today,” Terri-Louise told BBC Radio Foyle today.
“When I chat to people three words that come across is the most humble, gentle down to earth person that we’ll you’d ever come across.”
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