INNOCENT VICTIM
INNOCENT VICTIM
By Niall Blaney
Baby due to woman caught in bombing
Wall saves mother and pregnant daughter
A WOMAN caught in the Omagh bombing is due to give birth within the next few days.
Nicola Emery (21) was with her mother Valerie when the bomb exploded but was uninjured.
Speaking from her hospital bed yesterday, Mrs Emery (41) said her immediate concern had been for her pregnant daughter.
Her husband Raymond (42) said he thought he had lost his entire family in the explosion.
Mrs Emery and Nicola had been out shopping in Omagh on Saturday afternoon as the town centre was being cleared.
They had been with Mrs Emery's cousin Dorothy Graham and her nine-year-old son when they heard the bomb warning.
"I thought it was a hoax but we decided to go home. But before we got home it went off," said Mrs Emery.
Her daughter said she was saved by a wall she was standing beside which had taken the force of the blast.
She said she then started looking for her cousin who was missing, adding: "I frantically looked for him and when we found him I rushed to my mum and tried to lift her up but I couldn't."
Mrs Emery, who suffered injuries to her feet, managed to walk a quarter of a mile to get to her car.
She said: "I don't know how I managed, I don't know how I walked but I managed to get to the car.
"I'm in a daze. I can't remember very much but I could see things falling down all around me. And I managed to get to the car and a friend from work who was there drove me to hospital."
The Omagh woman was later transferred to the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast.
"I can remember seeing people lying everywhere in the hospital though. I can't believe what has happened. I just think I'm very lucky to be here."
She said there were no words to describe the bombers, adding:
"They didn't just affect one side: it affected everyone. They didn't care who it was as long as they had victims.
"It is horrible, really horrible to do something like that."
Mrs Emery's cousin Elaine O'Donnell is also being treated at the RVH.
"She has some sort of leg injury, I don't know what it is. She was going to get married in three weeks time but obviously that has been cancelled now," said Mrs Emery.
Her daughter said she was looking forward to the birth of her child but that the terrible events of Saturday were still uppermost in her mind.
She said: "I feel shattered. I think I'm in delayed shock. I was very scared at the time. I thought I was going to lose the baby.
But I was also worried about my mum."
Her father Raymond said: "I could have lost them all."
By Niall Blaney
Baby due to woman caught in bombing
Wall saves mother and pregnant daughter
A WOMAN caught in the Omagh bombing is due to give birth within the next few days.
Nicola Emery (21) was with her mother Valerie when the bomb exploded but was uninjured.
Speaking from her hospital bed yesterday, Mrs Emery (41) said her immediate concern had been for her pregnant daughter.
Her husband Raymond (42) said he thought he had lost his entire family in the explosion.
Mrs Emery and Nicola had been out shopping in Omagh on Saturday afternoon as the town centre was being cleared.
They had been with Mrs Emery's cousin Dorothy Graham and her nine-year-old son when they heard the bomb warning.
"I thought it was a hoax but we decided to go home. But before we got home it went off," said Mrs Emery.
Her daughter said she was saved by a wall she was standing beside which had taken the force of the blast.
She said she then started looking for her cousin who was missing, adding: "I frantically looked for him and when we found him I rushed to my mum and tried to lift her up but I couldn't."
Mrs Emery, who suffered injuries to her feet, managed to walk a quarter of a mile to get to her car.
She said: "I don't know how I managed, I don't know how I walked but I managed to get to the car.
"I'm in a daze. I can't remember very much but I could see things falling down all around me. And I managed to get to the car and a friend from work who was there drove me to hospital."
The Omagh woman was later transferred to the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast.
"I can remember seeing people lying everywhere in the hospital though. I can't believe what has happened. I just think I'm very lucky to be here."
She said there were no words to describe the bombers, adding:
"They didn't just affect one side: it affected everyone. They didn't care who it was as long as they had victims.
"It is horrible, really horrible to do something like that."
Mrs Emery's cousin Elaine O'Donnell is also being treated at the RVH.
"She has some sort of leg injury, I don't know what it is. She was going to get married in three weeks time but obviously that has been cancelled now," said Mrs Emery.
Her daughter said she was looking forward to the birth of her child but that the terrible events of Saturday were still uppermost in her mind.
She said: "I feel shattered. I think I'm in delayed shock. I was very scared at the time. I thought I was going to lose the baby.
But I was also worried about my mum."
Her father Raymond said: "I could have lost them all."
Further Information
Publisher: THE IRISH NEWS
Ref: IN/0680
Published Date: 18-Aug-98
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