Larne teenager Gracie Leigh Gordon continues to inspire 'acts of kindness'

Gracie Leigh Gordon, who was 14, died after accidentally falling into the Inver River in November 2019. At Gracie Leigh's funeral service in St Macnissi's Church, parish priest Fr Francis O'Brien paid tribute to the "remarkable impression" she had left behind. "She had a hug for everyone, possessed a natural sense of fairness and was constantly sticking up for the underdog," he said. "If her friends wish to honour her memory, and her legacy of good deeds, I believe Gracie Leigh would be asking them right now to give one another big hugs, to look out for one another and ensure that no-one who is sad, be it today, tomorrow, or next week, is left to cope on their own." This year, to mark what would have been Gracie Leigh's 16th birthday on September 14, her mum Danielle Gordon urged local people to continue to spread 'acts of kindness' in memory of the St Kilian's College pupil. 'A very special young lady' In a post on her Facebook page, Danielle wrote: "Gracie was a very special young lady; I know as her mammy I am very biased, but many that knew GG in life have described her as kind, loving, friendly and fiercely loyal. I want to take this opportunity to do something special for my girl, I’ve thought very long and hard about what Gracie would want to be remembered for. "When Gracie Leigh lost her life I received many many messages of how she had touched the lives of others. She had quietly delivered many acts of kindness to people of all ages and backgrounds. I have always been incredibly proud of both my children, they are my whole world but hearing all these stories made me realise that this is her legacy. Sadly Gracie Leigh is no longer here to spread kindness, but we who love her still can "Today I am asking a big favour in Gracie's name. Can everyone that would normally celebrate her birthday do an act of kindness? I have created this page on Instagram to post and spread kindness for Gracie. Tag @kindnessforgracie2021 and post with the #kindnessforgracie. "Let’s commemorate Gracie Leigh, one act of kindness at a time." The call has resonated with people across Larne, with many taking the time to spread kindness in Gracie's name. Some chose to make a donation to charity, such as Mid Antrim Animal Sanctuary. "Gracie Leigh was a big animal lover and she would be so delighted by this," her mum wrote. A group from Antrim Coast Dance Academy donated a basket of treats for staff and residents at Lisgarel Care Home, while Larne Main Street car wash gave multiple free car washes to customers. Meanwhile, balloon releases were also held in Gracie Leigh's memory by her family, St Killian's College, and Larne YMCA Youth Club. Danielle added: "It doesn’t have to cost money and I would love to see Gracie Leigh’s friends participating as well; they could visit someone they’ve been meaning to, pack someone’s shopping for them, or say hello and smile at more people." -- Thank you for reading this article. We're more reliant on your support than ever as the shift in consumer habits brought about by Coronavirus impacts our advertisers. Please consider purchasing a copy of the paper. You can also support trusted, fact-checked journalism by taking out a digital subscription of the News Letter.