REQUIEM Mass for a 19-month-old toddler who drowned in a swimming pool in Spain will take place in Andersonstown this morning.
Freddie Joseph Briggs sadly passed away after being pulled from the water in Aigues near Alicante last Wednesday (25 May).
An air ambulance was called to the scene, but attempts to revive the young boy were unsuccessful.
His funeral will take place at 10am on Thursday at St Agnes' Church, where he was Christened.
The toddler is understood to have been living in Spain with dad, Mark Briggs, from Mansfield and his mum, Jane Mohan, from West Belfast. He is also survived by his brother Michael.
At Saturday night Mass, St Agnes' parish priest Fr Thomas McGlynn, who baptised Freddie, asked parishioners to keep his family in their prayers.
"Please pray for his parents and friends at this just unspeakable awful time," he said.
"All any of us can simply do is just to pray for them and very little else, there are no adequate words at such a time, but please keep his family very much in your prayers; his mum and dad and the rest of the family."
Friends have rallied round the family, setting up an online fundraiser to help fund a memorial for Freddie. At the time of writing the appeal has raised £8,315.
Their friend Rob Toomey, who set up the appeal, said: "Many of you have asked what you can do to help and it would help massively if you could donate to this fundraising memorial so we can all remember Freddie."
Donations to the fundraiser can be made by clicking here or, for our paper readers, visiting gofundme.com/remember-freddie-joseph-briggs
A family funeral notice stated: "I would like to thank you all for your kind messages and prayers. Thankfully Freddie is back home in Belfast at Stewartstown Park."
Donations in lieu of flowers can be made to the Kevin Bell Trust via Healy Brothers Funeral Directors, 56 Andersonstown Road BT11 9AN. Tel: 02890 309333.
