OMAGH BEREAVED COMFORTED BY VISIT
Omagh bereaved comforted by visit
By MARTINA DEVLIN
RELATIVES of Omagh's bomb victims both grieved again for their loss and were comforted by President Clinton's compassionate words to them, said one of his aides.
"There was sadness in the room but also very much a sense of life going on. People's spirits seemed to be lifted," said his National Security Officer Sandy Berger.
"When he spoke it was the most riveting silence in that room, it was absolute quiet.
Even the children, who had been crying and laughing earlier, were quiet. People were obviously completely focused on what they were hearing and the president got a very warm response."
He said Mr Clinton was very moved by his meeting with the people most cruelly affected by the bomb and that he had spent longer with them than scheduled because he wanted to talk to as many as possible.
One of the first victims he spoke to was a badly injured 14-year-old girl whose mother is a radiologist in the hospital where she was brought for treatment.
"I was originally reluctant about coming here because I thought we had to be focusing on the future but what happened in this place is part of the equation here," added Mr Berger.
Around 23 of the 28 families bereaved by the bomb 20 days ago had representatives to meet Mr Clinton in the town's leisure centre.
By MARTINA DEVLIN
RELATIVES of Omagh's bomb victims both grieved again for their loss and were comforted by President Clinton's compassionate words to them, said one of his aides.
"There was sadness in the room but also very much a sense of life going on. People's spirits seemed to be lifted," said his National Security Officer Sandy Berger.
"When he spoke it was the most riveting silence in that room, it was absolute quiet.
Even the children, who had been crying and laughing earlier, were quiet. People were obviously completely focused on what they were hearing and the president got a very warm response."
He said Mr Clinton was very moved by his meeting with the people most cruelly affected by the bomb and that he had spent longer with them than scheduled because he wanted to talk to as many as possible.
One of the first victims he spoke to was a badly injured 14-year-old girl whose mother is a radiologist in the hospital where she was brought for treatment.
"I was originally reluctant about coming here because I thought we had to be focusing on the future but what happened in this place is part of the equation here," added Mr Berger.
Around 23 of the 28 families bereaved by the bomb 20 days ago had representatives to meet Mr Clinton in the town's leisure centre.
Further Information
Publisher: IRISH INDEPENDENT
Ref: II/229
Published Date: 04-Sep-98
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