A newspaper has apologized after publishing an obituary of a man who was actually still alive.
The Northern Echo reported on the ‘death’ of Charlie Donaghy – described as a lifelong supporter of grassroots sport in the north-east of England – only to learn that he was still very much alive and well.
Mr. Donaghy’s family said they were “devastated” by the false report.
In their statement, they said: “We are devastated by the inaccuracy of this report. This has caused immeasurable distress for my sister as well as many of my Dad’s friends and supporters over the years. To allow this to be released onto the internet without checking with our family is unforgivable.”
The Northern Echo claimed they had been told by three sources that Charlie had died.
The paper said: “We checked with three independent sources, including a representative of at least one of the clubs Mr Donaghy worked with, who all confirmed the information, prior to it being published.
“We apologise unreservedly for our mistake, and for any understandable distress and devastation that was caused to Mr Donaghy, his family and friends.”
