Hi, my name is Roan Otto. This campaign is to honour the Dingle Coast and Cliff Rescue team who gave my brother, Fionn, a second chance.

Last November, our family’s world stopped. My brother, Fionn, our friend Oran Dennehy, and I were walking in the Kerry mountains when Fionn fell down a ravine, sustaining serious injuries to his arm and leg. As darkness and freezing conditions set in, I made the call for help.

What followed was a 7 hour, night-time rescue operation that saved my brother’s life. In treacherous conditions, the Dingle Coast and Cliff Rescue team, an entirely volunteer-run group of heroes, risked their own lives to get to Fionn. They courageously hauled him 200 meters up the side of a cliff face by stretcher, a monumental effort that got him to level ground on Sliabh Mhacha Ré (Peddler's Lake) near the Conor Pass, where he was finally airlifted to University Hospital Kerry.

Without their courage, skill, and unwavering dedication, our family’s story would be very different. They are the reason Fionn is here today, and we can never thank them enough.

An 18-Year-Old's Ironman for a Rescue Team

To honour the heroes who saved my brother, I am taking on the ultimate endurance test: a full Ironman. The timing is significant. I'm currently a 17-year-old in my Leaving Cert year in Cork, and I will turn 18—the minimum age to compete—just before the race.

This makes me one of the youngest people from Ireland ever to compete in a full Ironman distance event.

On November 23rd, in Cozumel, Mexico, I will face a 3.86km swim, a 180.25km bike ride, and a 42.2km run.

The journey ahead is long, but I'm committed to fitting in the training around my Leaving Cert studies. My journey is nothing compared to the bravery shown by the Dingle Coast and Cliff Rescue team, but it is my way of showing them my immense gratitude.

My goal is to raise €7,500 to help this incredible team purchase the vital equipment and gear they need to continue their life-saving work.

Your donation, no matter how small, will directly support these selfless volunteers. It will help ensure that when the next emergency call comes in, they have everything they need to bring someone home safely to their family.

Thank you for being part of this mission and for helping us say thank you to the heroes of the Kerry mountains.