Jason Corbett's mother "on top of the moon" as her son's children plan to return to Ireland

The elderly mother of Limerick man Jason Corbett has said she is "on top of the moon" her slain son's children are finally "coming home to mind granny".

Jason Corbett's mother "on top of the moon" as her son's children plan to return to Ireland

By David Raleigh

The elderly mother of Limerick man Jason Corbett has said she is "on top of the moon" her slain son's children are finally "coming home to mind granny".

The Corbett family had been locked in a bitter custody battle with Jason Corbett's wife Molly Martens, who is a person of interest in the police investigation into his sudden death at his home in North Carolina on August 2nd last.

There were smiles all around at the Corbett family home in Limerick tonight, where Jason's mother Rita and father John, 79, held hands in front of a holy candle, and prayed their grandchildren would be allowed to come back home to their native Ireland.

Minutes earlier, a US judge dismissed Ms Martens case seeking custody of her step children, Jack (10) and Sarah (8).

When the news came through to Limerick, the Corbett household erupted into shouts of joy mixed with tears for slain Jason, 39.

Jason's mother, Rita, who has been left heartbroken over her son's killing, said: "I'm on top of the moon that my grandchildren are coming home. It'll make up for my burying my son in a few days. He'll be at peace now."

The family plan to greet Jack and Sarah at Shannon Airport on Saturday morning before organising their father's funeral the following week.

Jason Corbett's body had been flown back to Limerick but his family said they would not bury him until his children were back home too.

Mr Corbett is to be buried beside his first wife Mags Fitzpatrick who died in 2006 from an asthma attack.

"I don't care about nothing else now what my grandchildren are coming home and my son is getting buried and then we can grieve for him," his mother said.

She added: "Then I want justice for my son over in America after that."

Mrs Corbett said, the past 18 days since her son's death had been "a nightmare" in which they had to fight his second wife Molly Martens for custody of his Irish born children.

Jason Corbett and Molly Martens.

"It's hard to believe that anyone could do that to us and be so cruel."

She said her son's wife's family "never even offered us a bit of sympathy" over Jason's death.

"Have they any human feelings? They couldn't have," she said.

Mrs Corbett said the court made "the right decision".

She thanked the 600 people who turned out in solidarity with the family at a candle lit vigil in the Treaty City last Tuesday night.

"We had great support from all of Limerick. They're great people, and everyone here in Ireland was great."

Mrs Corbett also praised her daughter Tracey who left for America after her brother's death, promising to bring his body home along with his two children.

"I'm very grateful," she said.

Mrs Corbett said her grandchildren "mean the world to me".

"We love our own dearly and we protect them, and we always care for one another, no matter what," she said.

"Jason knew that."

"I brought up my own family to live and care for their own family, and the very minute something happens, we're all there for each other. I was reared like that myself."

Jason's mother said the death of her son, culminating with the return of her grandchildren in such dramatic circumstances was a "bittersweet moment".

"It's going to be tough. We have to face the hardest part of all now, burying my son. It's going to be very hard actually."

"But it would have been worse if his children weren't here."

The sun shone down on the Corbett home all afternoon, which Rita took as a positive sign for her grandchildren's custody hearing going on thousands of miles away in the US.

"I've great faith and I believed in all that fate, and the prayers."

She said she last spoke to her son on the telephone about a fortnight before his death.

"I think he was planning to come home. He was homesick. He always said he'd give it three years but he couldn't settle down."

"He was still grieving for Mags and he wasn't over her. They were soul mates. They were lovely."

"He had a serious side but he was soft. He loved his children dearly. He really cared for them. They were his first priority."

"I spoke to Sarah yesterday and she kept telling me she loved me. So, there'll be a big reunion Saturday morning with the help of God."

"I think they fly into Shannon at 7am," she said.

"I'll never get over (Jason's death). As (Jason) used to say himself, I'm your baby, because he was the youngest twin. He'd say he was my handsomest."

"I was talking to him just a fortnight before I got the news. He came on the phone and he said, 'I just want to hear your voice mam, I'm feeling homesick'."

"We were all very close. I said to him, 'what are you looking for, your packet and tribe', because he always loved having his packet and tripe. We use to always have it ready for him whenever he'd come home," she laughed.

Last Phone Call...

"He just phoned and said, 'this is your handsome son mam,' he said, 'your baby'. 'I just wanted to hear your voice because I was feeling a little homesick,' he said, but he says, 'I was planning on coming home for Dad's surprise birthday party -- he'd be 80 -- and I'd probably be bringing the kids, that's all he said. He said no more."

Tears welled up in Jason's father's eyes.

John Corbett, 79, said: "I feel very sad really, that's the truth, really sad. We had terrible tragedy in the family for the past few years."

Jason's cousin Amanda Corbett died of a rare bone disease in 2011 leaving behind a four year old son.

"It just happened to hit us," Mr Corbett said.

"I can't wait now to see Jack and Sarah on Saturday morning. I'll hug the two them."

"The first thing I'll do is hug my daughters, Marilyn and Tracey. They were really brilliant, and they were a pillar for one another out there in the States. And, their friend Paul Dillon, he was unreal altogether, he just upped and left like that, and went away with them."

Rita added: "We'd didn't get a chance to grieve for Jason over all of this going on."

"I thought it was the cruelest thing that could happen to anyone. We had to fight to bring Jason home first, and then we had to fight to bring Jason's kids back. Who would put people through that?"

"A dead man's wishes are his wishes, and his wishes should have been honoured immediately."

"It was written in legal paper (from) a solicitor. He always wanted his children to finish up in Ireland. I can't understand how it took so long. I always said it should never have come to this."

"It was a sad day when (Ms Martens) walked into our lives, a sad day," Rita added.

Jason's twin brother Wayne said: "It's something we shouldn't have had to go through to be honest..

"I'm just relieved that my niece and nephew are coming home and now we can bury my brother and give him the funeral that he deserves, and hopefully the police in North Carolina will do what they have to do, and let the law take its course in America, and hopefully (we'll) get justice for my brother."

"It's been an absolute nightmare for the whole family. I can't go into things that happened (in North Carolina) because it might effect other things in the future, but it's been a nightmare," he said.

"I will say that the people of Limerick have been great with us. They've given us massive support and we can't thank them enough. Thanks."

Jason's first wife's sister Catherine Fitzpatrick said: "It's absolutely fantastic. It's brilliant news. It's justice."

"After three weeks, it was torture. Thank god they're coming home."

Her brother, Thomas Fitzpatrick, said: "The kids deserved it. This is what Jason would have wanted and what everyone wanted so it's the right thing to do."

"I'm happy for Jason's family now that they can finally, properly, grieve for the kids' father, and just lay Jason to rest with Mags who was his soul mate."

"We're relived for everyone and we've been so close (with the Corbett's). Myself and Catherine have been in here nearly everyday with his family. They were brilliant to us when Mags died, and we're going to be here to support them after Jason and hopefully be there for the kids because they are going to need a lot of love and care."

He added: "I just want to say we are so grateful to Tracey, David, Paul and Marilyn. They've done an amazing job, and before they left, Tracey promised that she would come back with Jason and the kids, and she has followed through on that promise and were very proud of her, and we can never thank her enough. All we can do is be there for her and the family."

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