FACT CHECK: Did The Irish Independent Publish This Article About A Dying Man’s Last Words?

An image shared on Facebook purportedly shows a screenshot of an Irish Independent article about a dying man’s last words.

Verdict: False

The image is digitally fabricated. There is no evidence to suggest the Irish Independent published such an article.

Fact Check:

North Ireland experienced the hottest day of the year on Monday, with temperatures reaching 31 degrees Celsius (about 88 degrees Fahrenheit), according to BBC News. The hot weather may be part of a wider heat wave currently affecting Europe, The New York Times reported.

An image shared on Facebook claims the Irish Independent recently reported on the dying words of a man who allegedly realized on his deathbed the danger of climate change. “I wish I’d taken more sun cream,” the 85-year-old man supposedly said before his death from heat stroke, according to the article.

“The 85 year old man, who drove a deisel car, cut turf, ate steak and scoffed at climate change policies passed away in Dublin’s Matter hospital ICU today,” reads part of the purported article’s headline.

The post is digitally fabricated, however. No such article could be found on the Irish Independent’s website or its verified social media accounts. Check Your Fact found no credible news outlets reporting on the 85-year-old man’s alleged death or about the purported headline from the Irish Independent.

The image featured in the fake article, showing a man in the ICU, was used in a December 2021 article published by the Irish Independent titled “Omicron: ‘It’s not yet in the ICUs. But it’s spreading… and it’s spreading fast.’” (RELATED: FACT CHECK: Did The UK Newspaper The Times Publish This Front Page Story About Doctors Advising ‘Against Taking The Experimental Jab’?)

Check Your Fact has reached out to the Irish Independent for comment and will update this piece accordingly if one is received.

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