Mark Hehir, a 62-year-old London bus driver originally from Limerick, kept his dismissal from his family in Ireland for nearly two years. The former driver only told his sister about the case last week, he revealed to RTE Radio on Wednesday.
Metroline sacked Hehir after he chased a thief to recover a passenger's stolen necklace – a heroic act that sparked public outrage. An employment tribunal upheld the dismissal despite over 125,000 people signing a petition in his support.
The two-year ordeal has drawn widespread backing, including from Justice Secretary David Lammy, who called Hehir "a hero and deserves our support" A GoFundMe campaign has raised more than £28,000 for the former driver.
He felt "dumbfounded" by the tribunal's verdict. He said: "it does set you back because that's taken two years out of your life."
Family Reaction
Hehir's sister urged him to tell their mother before the news reached her through other channels. Hehir recounted: "She texted me back and said listen this thing is after breaking worldwide, I think mam needs to know or someone is going to tell her."
He said his mother responded with mixed emotions: "As expected, my mum said she was absolutely, very, very proud of me but at the same time she thought that I should have rung her because she's my mother, that's why she's there." He added: "But I didn't want to bring it on her, because I know she would worry, if that makes sense."
What He Wants Now
Hehir does not seek to be reinstated. Instead, he wants an apology from Metroline and compensation for lost earnings after the company dismissed him for pursuing the thief.
The north-west London resident describes himself as an optimistic person despite the long process that has dominated the past two years of his life.
Note: This article was created with Artificial Intelligence (AI).
