Grieving mum of car crash victim Gemma McMonagle: "I lost my daughter, my workmate and my pal - She was everything rolled into one"

Gemma McMonagle, 24, was killed, tragically in a horrific car accident in Lambhill, two months ago, while she was still grieving for her dad Gary.

Gemma’s mum Lynn said her daughter helped hold the family together after her husband’s death, four years ago at the age of 42, caring for her younger brothers, Paul 13 and Gary, 19.

Lynn still finds it too painful to talk about the accident, which left another young person dead and three others seriously injured, including her boyfriend, Jason Taylor, 24.

Read more: Tribute match to be held for tragic Lambhill crash victim Gemma McMonagle

She said: “It was just a normal Saturday night out.

“She was going out with her friend Stephanie. They were here till about 9.30pm, then they went up to Stephanie’s. I was in bed. I’ve slept on the couch since my husband died but I just decided to go upstairs that night.

“Two police officers came. I said to them, ‘you have made a mistake.’ It can’t be Gemma.’ But unfortunately it was.

“I don’t know after that. I don’t want to know. I’ve not even taken it in.

“We had to go over and identify her. The only way they could identify her was by her wee tattoos on her wrist.

“She took the full impact. It was a closed coffin.

“I felt as if I had closure when Gary died because he had been unwell but I feel as if I’ve never had closure.

“I feel as if she’s still out there.

Read more: Tribute match to be held for tragic Lambhill crash victim Gemma McMonagle

“I saw her for five minutes on the Saturday. She was going to work and she was just waiting for a taxi.

“She said, ‘That’s my taxi mum, see you later.’ That was the last I saw her.

“She just went out and never came back.”

Gemma’s friend Kieron Lundy, 21, a dad-of-one, also died when the car he was driving careered off Balmore Road in Lambhill and plunged into shallow water on Sunday, May 15.

Two passengers in the back seat of the car were injured, 25-year-olds Stephanie Adens and Stephen Carroll. The police investigation is still to conclude.

Lynn, 47, who lives in Maryhill, said: “They didn’t find anything. It’s just been an accident.”

The pair worked in the same One-O-One off-sales in Gairbraid Avenue, doing alternate shifts so Gemma could keep an eye on her brothers.

Lynn takes a photograph out of her album of Gemma surrounded by a large group of young lads. It’s how she remembers her daughter best.

She said: “That is just Gemma to a T. That was Gemma in the middle of her friends, every one of them was a boy.

“She was one of the boys. She was always like that. She didn’t like fancy dresses.

“They looked out for her.

Read more: Tribute match to be held for tragic Lambhill crash victim Gemma McMonagle

“If she wasn’t in work, she would be sleeping probably or staying with her boyfriend, Jason.

“She loved watching Celtic. The girls would talk, talk, talk and she would be focused on the game.

“The whole dynamic of the house has changed. It was me and her versus the other two.

“She really stepped up to the plate when Gary died. We would do opposite shifts so there was always someone here to look after the boys.

“She was a wee gem. We were workmates, pals buddies. Everything rolled into one. She was my baby.”

“You don’t realise till they aren’t there how lovely they are.”

Gemma’s friend Stephanie, who was travelling in the back seat, broke her neck during the accident but is recovering well.

Lynn added: "Stephanie's still got the frame on. She’s actually coming down tonight for a curry.

“She’s got a really good attitude. She’s really positive. I don’t see much of Stephen but I think he’s doing okay. I think he’s to go in for another operation.

“I didn’t really know Kieron but they were all good pals.”

The funeral was held at the Immaculate Conception RC church. Gemma’s ashes in a wooden casket and is not quite ready to part with her.

Lynn said: “I don’t really remember much about that day. She will go in beside her dad at Lambhill, just around the corner.

“I’m not ready to do it.”

Read more: Tribute match to be held for tragic Lambhill crash victim Gemma McMonagle

Lynn and her mother Irene Kerr, 66, had booked a holiday to Benidorm before her daughter’s death and decided to go ahead with the trip.

Irene said: “It wasn’t much of a holiday. We just stayed in our room. I’ve coped by looking after Lynn.

“I was here at ten past six when it happened. I was the first person she called.”

Lynn has drawn strength from the Maryhill community. Gemma was a familiar face in the area as she worked in a local grocery store.

She said: “People came in and painted the house, put in a new floor. I’ve got really good support.”

Meanwhile, a fundraising event planned for next month has given Lynn something to focus on. A football tournament will take place in Gemma’s honour on August 7 at Maryhill Juniors Park.

The school recently took Paul away on a trip to Belgium.

Lynn said: “Paul’s had a lot of loss in his life. He’s lost his dad, his grandpa and his sister in four year.

“He covers it up well. Gary is the same, very deep like that.”

The charity event has been organised by Jamie Coll, a PE teacher at John Paul Academy.

Jamie said: “Gemma’s brother Gary plays in the team that I coach, Arsenal under 21s, so it will them versus a group of Gemma’s friends.

“Gemma was obviously a big Celtic fan so we thought it would be ideal to put two and two together.

“We have contacted Partick Thistle, Ross County and Celtic to see if they could send someone.”

A fundraising raffle will be held after the match in the social club with prizes including a night in Glasgow’s Thistle Inn.Raffle tickets are on sale in the One-O-One store in Gairbraid Avenue, Maryhill.