She lost her sister at 33.
Miriam O'Callaghan has opened up about her sister's tragic death and how it shaped her entire outlook on life.
The RTÉ star lost her sister when she was only 33 from cancer, leaving behind two baby girls, with Miriam saying her death inspired her to not take anything for granted and live life to the fullest.
Speaking to RSVP Magazine, Miriam said: "I had a beautiful sister Anne, and she died very young.
"I wake up everyday feeling really grateful for life. There are 24 hours in a day and you can do a lot."
Miriam spoke about heading to see Garth Brooks in Croke Park, something that had a deeper meaning for her when it came to Anne as she turned to his music to cope with the loss as he was all over the Irish airwaves at the time of her death.
"I used to see her driving ahead of me when we were going somewhere and I used to think that there was going to be a tomorrow that wouldn’t come because I knew how ill she was. We love that song," she said.
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Heading to the gig in September, Miriam brought her own daughters and Anne's daughter Lizzy, who she shared a stunning snap with on Instagram.
She wrote at the time: "Such a wonderful night last night in glorious sunshine.
"His song If Tomorrow Never Comes has a special meaning for us all."
Miriam has been a staple in RTÉ for years, but unlike many of her colleagues, she won't be retiring as soon as she hits 65. Typically in RTÉ, once you hit retirement age you must leave the station as it is written into your contract, but as Miriam doesn't work on a regular RTÉ contract, she is hoping she will be staying for a lot longer.
