The Tandragee – and wider Co Armagh community – is in mourning following the heartbreaking passing of much-loved local teenager Blake McCaughey, whose courage and spirit touched lives far beyond his home town.
The devastating news was shared by Blake’s mum, Christine, in an emotional tribute posted on social media on Saturday, describing the unimaginable loss of her “beautiful, amazing, inspirational Blakey Boy”.
“Our beautiful, amazing, inspirational Blakey Boy. Today you left to us for heaven and you have left a pain I cannot describe,” she wrote.
“No warning, no words just goodbye my baby boy. 18 years you have called me mummy and I am the proudest mummy in the world to call you mine.”
Christine spoke movingly of the bond she shared with her son and the personality that made Blake so special to those who knew him.
“Your cheeky, smart comments and bad words will be missed in Tandragee and beyond,” she said.
“Go and be with Granda and your dog Rocco and look over us in the times ahead. You’ll never walk alone my boy. Our shining star.”
She added that funeral arrangements will be shared in due course, and that the family home is currently open to close family and friends.
Blake, who was just 18, was well known across Tandragee and the wider Armagh area for his resilience in the face of immense health challenges.
Living with rare genetic conditions, he endured years of complex medical treatment and mobility difficulties, yet remained a constant source of inspiration to so many.
Earlier this week, Armagh I reported on a message of thanks written by Christine to Upper Bann MP Carla Lockhart, praising her support during Blake’s transition into adulthood and highlighting the strength Blake showed despite ongoing health struggles.
Despite his own challenges, Blake completed a one-mile walk in May 2025 in memory of his friend Adam Watson, raising funds for Cure Leukaemia — a reflection of his selflessness and determination to help others.
Tributes have begun pouring in from across the community and beyond, with many remembering Blake as a bright, courageous young man who defied the odds and left a lasting impression on everyone he met.
Above all, it is the words of his mum that have captured the depth of loss being felt — a mother saying goodbye to her son, her “shining star”, taken far too soon.
Blake is survived by his parents Christine and Andrew, his sister Pixie, and a wide circle of family, friends and supporters who will continue to carry his memory forward.
