DJ'S BADLY INJURED DAUGHTER LUCKY TO BE ALIVE
DJ's badly injured daughter 'lucky to be alive'
THE daughter of local radio personality, Pio McCann, has undergone two complex operations at Belfast City Hospital as a result of injuries she received in the Omagh bombing.
Surgeons tried to remove fragments of bone from her spinal canal in the latest procedure on Tuesday, and had to stop when complications arose.
Seventy-five per cent of the 21-year-old-year-old's vertebrae was crushed as a result of the bomb.
Diane was evacuated from 'Hot Gossip', in High Street, where she was working, and was standing outside 'Mr. G's Discount Store', in Market Street, when the explosion occurred.
"She doesn't usually work in Omagh on Saturdays. This was the first time," her father said.
"When the bomb exploded, she was blown onto the ground by the force of the blast and kept her hands over her head as rubble was falling on her. She remained conscious throughout the ordeal," he said.
He said that a bystander, Shane McColgan, grabbed a metal shelf from one of the shops and gently rolled her onto it, before she was taken to Tyrone County Hospital.
"She remained in the County Hospital until Sunday lunchtime and was then transferred to Belfast. We have never left the hospital since she went in," he said.
"I would also like to thank Deep Sharma, Diane's employer. He has been very good phoning the hospital ever day."
He said that the doctors could not give any guarantee that Diane - the third youngest in a family of six - would walk again.
"We realise she is lucky to be alive," he said.
Further tragedy hit the family on Friday night when Pio's 85-year-old mother-in-law, Rebecca, died at her home.
THE daughter of local radio personality, Pio McCann, has undergone two complex operations at Belfast City Hospital as a result of injuries she received in the Omagh bombing.
Surgeons tried to remove fragments of bone from her spinal canal in the latest procedure on Tuesday, and had to stop when complications arose.
Seventy-five per cent of the 21-year-old-year-old's vertebrae was crushed as a result of the bomb.
Diane was evacuated from 'Hot Gossip', in High Street, where she was working, and was standing outside 'Mr. G's Discount Store', in Market Street, when the explosion occurred.
"She doesn't usually work in Omagh on Saturdays. This was the first time," her father said.
"When the bomb exploded, she was blown onto the ground by the force of the blast and kept her hands over her head as rubble was falling on her. She remained conscious throughout the ordeal," he said.
He said that a bystander, Shane McColgan, grabbed a metal shelf from one of the shops and gently rolled her onto it, before she was taken to Tyrone County Hospital.
"She remained in the County Hospital until Sunday lunchtime and was then transferred to Belfast. We have never left the hospital since she went in," he said.
"I would also like to thank Deep Sharma, Diane's employer. He has been very good phoning the hospital ever day."
He said that the doctors could not give any guarantee that Diane - the third youngest in a family of six - would walk again.
"We realise she is lucky to be alive," he said.
Further tragedy hit the family on Friday night when Pio's 85-year-old mother-in-law, Rebecca, died at her home.
Further Information
Publisher: TYRONE CONSTITUTION
Ref: TC/0285
Published Date: 27-Aug-98
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