Christopher Sayers
By Ray O’Hanlon
Patrick Sayers is trying to come to terms with the fact that he has lost his son Christopher at an all too early age.
And the manner of the losing.
Patrick, a native of Dingle County Kerry, buried Christopher, a New York son of Kerry, on Tuesday.
Christopher lost his young life at the hands of an enraged man who then took his own life.
The rage was spawned by the fact that the shooter had lost his construction job a couple of days earlier.
The man had a criminal record so the rage was likely already there, simply dormant and waiting for the moment to cruelly express itself.
Christopher Sayers, the foreman on a Midtown Manhattan construction site, paid for that rage with his life.
He was shot multiple times by 44-year-old Samuel Perry who then turned the gun on himself.
The senseless killing left a far flung Irish family, and a brotherhood of construction and carpenters union colleagues, searching for answers.
In truth, there are no good answers.
But for Patrick Sayers, his family and many friends, there are good memories of a man who had always embraced the fun in life, and life’s brighter side.
“He was a clown. He was always laughing,” Patrick told the Echo, his grief in every word.
And of course the photo of Christopher, which made the widespread news coverage, only confirmed the father’s portrayal of his son.
Christopher Sayers had a natural smile, looked precisely like the guy you would like to go out for a beer or two with.
“He was my go to go guy,” said Patrick.
“Whenever something needed fixing, something like the bathroom door, Christopher was the one I would call.”
Patrick lost his wife Josephine, who also hailed from Kerry, when she was just 61.
Mother and son now rest together in St. Charles Cemetery in Farmingdale after a funeral Mass at Our Lady of Mercy Church in Hicksville.
“She’s probably saying to Christopher, ‘what are you doing here?’” said Patrick.
Just as so many are saying about Christopher, “Why are you no longer with us?”
Hundreds, many hundreds, were asking just that at Christopher’s wake.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of our dear brother, Christopher Sayers – a great carpenter, union brother and friend,” said Local 212 of the New York City District Council of Carpenters in a statement of condolence.
And, of course, a great son.
“He was a good old guy, for a young fella,” said Patrick.
