She Gave Us Hope": How Sharon Bailie of McDonald's Coleraine Transformed a Family's Grief

For Summor Pritchard (20)  and Jordon Jones (24), 2023 brought an unimaginable loss. Their father, after years of battling mental health struggles, tragically took his own life. 

The grief that followed was profound, leaving the siblings, along with their mother Gillian Jones, in a spiral of unanswered questions and heartbreak. Yet amidst their darkest days, a source of hope and strength emerged from the most unexpected place - their workplace.

Sharon Baillie, Company Director of McDonald’s Coleraine, didn’t just offer words of comfort; she extended a lifeline of compassion and support that the family will never forget.

The morning of 19th June 2023 began just like any other day for Summor and Jordon, as mum Gillian explained.

“Summor had seen her daddy on the road earlier that day when she was on her way to work and then I got a message to say that their daddy was going to take his life.

“That was at 3.40pm so I got Jordon to go and see if we could find him. Then at 5.09 the police arrived at the house to say he had passed.

“I had contacted them for a welfare check but when they got to him, it was already too late.”

For Jordon, the pain of the moment deepened when police asked him to identify his father’s body. But Gillian, fiercely protective, refused.

“Yes, he was a 23-year-old man at the time but he was still my child and it was too traumatising so, no that was never going to happen.”

It was Summor’s workplace People Lead, Nick Baillie who delivered the devastating news to her.

“He said your dad has been found and usually when we hear that he’s at the hospital,” said Summor. “He said ‘No, Summor, they have found his body’.

“I couldn’t process it. I told my manager and just broke down. My team helped pack up my things and sent me home.”

When Sharon and the rest of the management team learned of what had happened, they immediately took action to provide some help to the siblings.

“The management team raised some money and gave it to us for help with the funeral costs,” said a grateful Summor. “Sharon also contacted Heather Logan from Disability Action to put counselling in place for us returning to work.”

“After hearing what Summor and Jordon were going through, we knew we needed to do more,” Sharon Baillie explained. “We knew that they needed additional support from us, as their employers, and reached out to Heather Logan at Disability Action to see what would be available to them in terms of help and support in addition to what we were providing. 

“Heather began working with Summor and Jordon and after getting to know them and understanding their situation better, Heather suggested the Disability Action Counselling services to Summor, explaining how it could help and support them during that difficult time.

“Summor and Jordon agreed, and since then, they have received ongoing support in the workplace from our management team and Chris Bolton – their Employment Officer at Disability Action, through their Workable NI program. Chris provides 1:1 support visits every three to four weeks.”

The counselling services arranged through Disability Action became a crucial turning point for both siblings. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) helped Summor find new ways to process her grief and focus on the positive memories of her father.

“They taught me about things like memory jars,” Summor said. “It’s a way to collect and celebrate all the good memories, instead of staying stuck in the pain of how he died. CBT has helped me retrain my brain. It’s not easy, but it’s been life-changing.”

The support they received at work extended far beyond what anyone could have expected. Sharon also implemented well-being check-ins for all staff and brought in new mental health resources. 

For Gillian, Sharon’s actions were a lifeline for her entire family. “From mother to mother, Sharon helped me keep it together,” she said. “Coming home from work exhausted, dealing with grief, and looking after the kids was overwhelming, but knowing Sharon was supporting them at work gave me peace of mind.”

The tragedy also changed the course of Summor’s life. Inspired by the support she received, she’s now training to become a counsellor. “I was training to be a beautician but I always knew I wanted to help people, but I didn’t know how,” she said. “After seeing how counselling helped me and how Sharon supported us, I realised I could do that for someone else.”

The pain of their loss still lingers, as does the guilt and the unanswered questions. “It’s a loss you can’t prepare for,” Summor said. “There are no goodbyes, no answers. It’s a constant struggle to focus on the good memories and not the pain of how he died.”

Jordan, too, has struggled with guilt. “He wonders if he could have done more,” Gillian explained. “It’s a heavy burden, even though none of it was his fault. I’ve felt guilt too, wondering if I could have done something to help.”

Despite the weight of their grief, the family is determined to heal, bolstered by the kindness they’ve been shown. “Sharon didn’t just help us cope with losing our dad – she gave us hope,” said Summor.  “Her kindness has meant more than I can put into words. It’s something I’ll carry with me forever.”

Gillian, too, is deeply grateful for Sharon’s unwavering support.

“As a mother, I was trying so hard to keep it all together, but there’s only so much you can do on your own. Sharon stepped in when I couldn’t. I’ll never forget what she’s done for us.”

Sharon’s kindness extended beyond arranging counselling. She created a workplace environment that gave Summor and Jordon the flexibility they needed to cope with their grief.

Not only that she also introduced weekly well-being check-ins for all staff and implemented new mental health resources across the McDonald’s Coleraine team.

“The well-being of all our staff is very important to us and as well as regular ‘How’s it going chats’ with our management team with our staff, we have introduced a new resource designed to support their overall well-being.

“I believe this program is something all employers should consider for their staff who have disabilities and long-term health conditions. It has been invaluable in providing the necessary support and fostering a more inclusive workplace.

“Since we have implemented the Workable NI program another McDonalds in Northern Ireland has put it in place which is great to see.

“I am so proud of Summor and Jordon and how far they have come despite their circumstances. With the continued support from myself, our manager team, and Disability Action, we will help and support both of them in their careers here at McDonald’s.

“I want everyone on my team to feel supported - not just during the tough times, but every day,” Sharon said. “We’re more than just colleagues; we’re a team, and I want everyone to feel like they’re part of a family.”

Caption: Front row from left: Heather Logan (Disability Action), Sharon Baillie (Company Director - McDonalds) and Summor Pritchard. Back row from left: Chris Bolton (Disability Action),  Nick Baillie (People Lead - McDonalds) and Jordon Jones