AGONY FOR WIDOW OF 30TH OMAGH VICTIM
Agony for widow of 30th Omagh victim
By JEANETTE OLDHAM
THE widow of the '30th Omagh bomb victim' has told of her heartbreak at the chain of events which led to her husband's death the day after the blast.
Tragic Gary White, 38, was killed instantly when his Renault Megane car was in collision with an ambulance ferrying one of the bomb victims to the Ulster Hospital at 9.35am on August 10.
Now, in an extraordinary show of kind-heartedness, his widow Elaine has expressed her sorrow that the ambulance driver may be prosecuted over the accident.
Speaking from her Newtownards home yesterday, she explained: "I just think it is so very sad that this man may be prosecuted.
"It's just another very sad event in a chain of sad events which led to Gary's death. It's not as if the driver was drink-driving or speeding.
"He was just trying to get an injured child with bad burns to hospital for treatment.
"In a way I just think, what is the point in prosecuting him now?
"His life will no doubt have been destroyed by what happened that day enough as it is."
Gary, a printer with Belfast City Council, had just picked up his sister and her husband from their home and was driving to a local garage to pick up the Sunday papers when tragedy struck.
Elaine admits the very mention of the word Omagh brings the reality of Gary's death raging back to hurt her all over again.
"I find myself wanting to switch off when Omagh is mentioned on the news or in the papers.
"Hearing about it just brings back all the memories of the day after."
Elaine says she has been wracked by a wide range of emotions since the accident, including grief, rage and even guilt.
"I feel guilty in a way because I didn't tell him not to go out that morning, that I didn't tell him to come back to bed or something," she explains.
"And I feel guilty because I've wondered why it was Gary who had to die and not anyone else involved."
But she has managed to snatch some solace from the fact that many people see Gary as the 30th victim of the Omagh bombing.
"In a way he was the forgotten victim. He didn't die in the blast or anywhere near Omagh, but it was kind of as a result of the blast that he died.
"I'm glad people seem to acknowledge that we are like the relatives of Omagh victims, very much in pain right now."
Elaine, a civil servant, was due to take up a new post working in Lord Alderdice's office in the new Assembly the Monday after the bombing.
She has been on compassionate leave and will take up the new job next week.
"I think it will help me to be busy at work again."
Elaine says she is pressing on with her life as best as possible for the sake of her children.
"I need to keep going and try to give them as happy lives as possible."
Gary leaves two children, Lauren, 13, and Gareth, 16.
By JEANETTE OLDHAM
THE widow of the '30th Omagh bomb victim' has told of her heartbreak at the chain of events which led to her husband's death the day after the blast.
Tragic Gary White, 38, was killed instantly when his Renault Megane car was in collision with an ambulance ferrying one of the bomb victims to the Ulster Hospital at 9.35am on August 10.
Now, in an extraordinary show of kind-heartedness, his widow Elaine has expressed her sorrow that the ambulance driver may be prosecuted over the accident.
Speaking from her Newtownards home yesterday, she explained: "I just think it is so very sad that this man may be prosecuted.
"It's just another very sad event in a chain of sad events which led to Gary's death. It's not as if the driver was drink-driving or speeding.
"He was just trying to get an injured child with bad burns to hospital for treatment.
"In a way I just think, what is the point in prosecuting him now?
"His life will no doubt have been destroyed by what happened that day enough as it is."
Gary, a printer with Belfast City Council, had just picked up his sister and her husband from their home and was driving to a local garage to pick up the Sunday papers when tragedy struck.
Elaine admits the very mention of the word Omagh brings the reality of Gary's death raging back to hurt her all over again.
"I find myself wanting to switch off when Omagh is mentioned on the news or in the papers.
"Hearing about it just brings back all the memories of the day after."
Elaine says she has been wracked by a wide range of emotions since the accident, including grief, rage and even guilt.
"I feel guilty in a way because I didn't tell him not to go out that morning, that I didn't tell him to come back to bed or something," she explains.
"And I feel guilty because I've wondered why it was Gary who had to die and not anyone else involved."
But she has managed to snatch some solace from the fact that many people see Gary as the 30th victim of the Omagh bombing.
"In a way he was the forgotten victim. He didn't die in the blast or anywhere near Omagh, but it was kind of as a result of the blast that he died.
"I'm glad people seem to acknowledge that we are like the relatives of Omagh victims, very much in pain right now."
Elaine, a civil servant, was due to take up a new post working in Lord Alderdice's office in the new Assembly the Monday after the bombing.
She has been on compassionate leave and will take up the new job next week.
"I think it will help me to be busy at work again."
Elaine says she is pressing on with her life as best as possible for the sake of her children.
"I need to keep going and try to give them as happy lives as possible."
Gary leaves two children, Lauren, 13, and Gareth, 16.
Further Information
Publisher: NEWS LETTER
Ref: NL/318
Published Date: 26-Sep-98
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