http://www.herald.ie/entertainment/around-town/patrick-rocca-was-my-hero-says-heartbroken-niece-of-tragic-tycoon-1641390.html
THE heartbroken niece of the late businessman Patrick Rocca has spoken about her family's loss for the first time -- and revealed how he was her hero.
Natasha Rocca-Devine (24), the daughter of Van Morrison's partner Michelle Rocca, has paid tribute to the well-known entrepreneur, whose sudden death last month sent shockwaves through the Dublin business and social communities.
And trainee journalist Natasha, who is an ambassador for depression charity Aware, has told the Herald how people need to reach out if they find themselves struggling in the midst of the recession.
She said her uncle's memory would never be forgotten as he has left such a lasting legacy with her.
"He was my hero. There's not a day goes by that I don't think about him," explained the daughter of former Arsenal and Ireland footballer John Devine.
"He was my mentor and he always believed in me and encouraged me in every way.
"I have this inner strength thanks to him, he was a truly wonderful man."
Married to socialite Annette Rocca, with whom he had two young children, Dublin property investor Patrick was laid to rest last month amid emotional scenes at St Mochta's Church in Castleknock. His grief-stricken wife later released a statement describing him as a "wonderful husband and an exceptional father and family man".
Now Natasha has appealed to anyone suffering from depression to reach out and talk about the problem instead of suffering in silence.
"I want to release the stigma of depression in Ireland. We all know people who suffer from it and this is an especially hard time for people. If something is making you unhappy or you're not happy with yourself, you need to confront it and do something about it. Some people suffer so much, they can't even get out of bed in the morning and it's usually the really loud ones, the people you never suspect, that can suffer most. It's like they just snap one day," she explained.
"This is such a scary time for people in Ireland and the recession is going to really hit those who have been living beyond their means and suddenly have to worry about having their car taken off them or losing their house.
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"There's a lot of fear out there and it's a fear of change. People are scared they'll lose the nice car or their nice house but why do people care so much about their image? There's a lot more important things in life."
Last week saw Natasha take to the stage at a fundraiser for Aware in Kildare to speak at the Bryan Walsh Memorial Ball about the work of the organisation.
But the glamorous beauty explained she was eager not to be portrayed as a "martyr" and just wanted to urge people to get support if they need it.
Despite her tender years, she has already lived an eventful life. She sustained serious head injuries after a car accident in San Francisco in July 2004, prompting a mercy dash from her mum and stepdad Van Morrison.
"I was in a coma and had to go through a lengthy recovery process afterwards. I never suffered from depression myself but I had a really bad time after the accident and struggled academically. Now I'm in the position where I'm graduating from a journalism course in May and am getting 2:1s for my course work," she continued.
"It really made me appreciate the smaller things in life and I suppose all I'm trying to say as an ambassador for Aware is that you're not going to wake up one day and suddenly feel amazing, but you need to protect yourself and stay healthy."
The ambitious youngster, a student in Griffith College, is also setting up her own online TV station shortly called NRD and has already interviewed 20 Irish people for her new project.
