LITTLE LUCY IS ONE IN A MILLION
Omagh survivor cheats death twice to give birth
EXCLUSIVE
BY GEORGE JACKSON
MUM Karen Armstrong says her baby daughter Lucy is one in a million.
Karen, who was injured in the Omagh bombing, gave birth to Lucy, at Altnagelvin Hospital, Londonderry on Friday.
Lucy, who weighed in at 7lbs 12ozs, not only survived the massive car bomb. Just days before the blast, Karen and her partner, Stephen McCrea, walked away unscathed after their plane crashlanded in Tenerife.
"My mother, Jean, died in March and the day after her funeral. Stephen and I found out that I was pregnant," said Karen, 25.
Break
"We decided we both needed a break to get away from it all, so we went to Gran Canaria in August for a week on our own.
"But when we were flying home, one of the wheels on the plane exploded, and the rim went through one of the wings.
"All I could think of was my baby. I was 26 weeks pregnant, and we were facing a crash landing.
"We had to take off our shoes and jewellery, and put them in bags. The pilot told us he would have to fly for a few hours to get rid of the fuel.
"Then, after two unsuccessful emergency landings, we crash-landed in Tenerife - I'll never forget it."
Added Karen: "Just a week after we came back from our holiday, Stephen and I were in Omagh shopping.
"We were in Kells shop in Market Street when the bomb went off - I was terrified that, for the second time in a few weeks, the life of my unborn baby was in danger. "I know every baby is special to the parents. But not too many babies in the womb have survived a crashlanding in a plane and a massive bomb explosion. "Lucy was meant to be. She has a special place in the world, and hopefully she will have a peaceful future because she has already gone through so much.
"Myself and Stephen just cried when she was born healthy."
EXCLUSIVE
BY GEORGE JACKSON
MUM Karen Armstrong says her baby daughter Lucy is one in a million.
Karen, who was injured in the Omagh bombing, gave birth to Lucy, at Altnagelvin Hospital, Londonderry on Friday.
Lucy, who weighed in at 7lbs 12ozs, not only survived the massive car bomb. Just days before the blast, Karen and her partner, Stephen McCrea, walked away unscathed after their plane crashlanded in Tenerife.
"My mother, Jean, died in March and the day after her funeral. Stephen and I found out that I was pregnant," said Karen, 25.
Break
"We decided we both needed a break to get away from it all, so we went to Gran Canaria in August for a week on our own.
"But when we were flying home, one of the wheels on the plane exploded, and the rim went through one of the wings.
"All I could think of was my baby. I was 26 weeks pregnant, and we were facing a crash landing.
"We had to take off our shoes and jewellery, and put them in bags. The pilot told us he would have to fly for a few hours to get rid of the fuel.
"Then, after two unsuccessful emergency landings, we crash-landed in Tenerife - I'll never forget it."
Added Karen: "Just a week after we came back from our holiday, Stephen and I were in Omagh shopping.
"We were in Kells shop in Market Street when the bomb went off - I was terrified that, for the second time in a few weeks, the life of my unborn baby was in danger. "I know every baby is special to the parents. But not too many babies in the womb have survived a crashlanding in a plane and a massive bomb explosion. "Lucy was meant to be. She has a special place in the world, and hopefully she will have a peaceful future because she has already gone through so much.
"Myself and Stephen just cried when she was born healthy."
Further Information
Publisher: SUNDAY LIFE
Ref: SL/064
Published Date: 06-Dec-98
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