DRUMQUIN BOMB VICTIM'S FAMILY PLAN TO ADOPT LITTLE ROMANIAN GIRL
Drumquin bomb victim's family plan to adopt little Romanian girl
A DRUMQUIN father, who lost his wife in the Omagh bomb, is planning to go to Romania later this year and look at the possibility of adopting a girl who has been to stay with his family in Drumquin for the past three summers.
Kevin Skelton and his youngest daughter, Shauna (14) plan to go with other members of the North West Romanian Orphan Fund group to the Eastern bloc country and visit the orphanages and see first hand the conditions the people are living in there.
Eleven-year-old Andreea Crozac has been coming to the Skelton family home for the past three years and Kevin's late wife, Philomena, was very fond of the little Romanian girl.
Mrs. Skelton was one of 29 people killed in the Real IRA bomb that rocked the world a year ago. She had been on a rare shopping trip to the town when the massive bomb exploded.
Mr. Skelton said Andreea had been especially close to Philomena, and she had just returned home last year when his wife was killed.
Mr. Skelton said he will only adopt the girl and an older sister, Nicolette, if he can gain permission from the girls' mother.
"Yes it would be nice to make them part of the family, but I know and my daughters and son know, that there is a big 'if' in the equation," he said.
Mr. Skelton explained that although the girls' mother is still in Romania her children stay in the orphanage because she is not too well off and cannot really afford to look after them.
Mr. Skelton said that he recently saw a video taken in Romania at the orphanages and he said it was heart lifting to see that the items sent out to the little 11-year-old were with her.
"She was wearing the clothes the family sent out. It was great to see that she had received them," he said.
Mr. Skelton said his wife had talked often about adopting the children and it was something close to her heart.
"We have all grown to love Andreea very much. She is just part of the family and my own children think the world of her," he said.
Strength
He went on: "For the past three weeks she has been a tower of strength to us even though I know it has been hard for her. We took her to Philomena's grave and she was very quiet."
The Skelton family are one of a number of families in Drumquin who look after the Romanian visitors during the summer months, and they all love to have the children.
"It gives me something to occupy my mind with, particularly at this time," he said.
"There were tears in Drumquin street on Monday when people were saying goodbye to the children. Everyone becomes attached to them, and although we all know they have to go, it is still hard to say goodbye," he added.
Along with a few others, Kevin and Shauna intend to head for Romania in October and visit the orphanages.
"At least we will be able to come back tell people about what life is really like out there," he said.
And while there Kevin intends to meet with Andreea and Nicolette's mother and discuss plans to formally adopt the girls, but only if she felt they would be better off living in Drumquin.
"Adoption would be ideal. It is something we all want and I know Philomena would have too," he said.
A DRUMQUIN father, who lost his wife in the Omagh bomb, is planning to go to Romania later this year and look at the possibility of adopting a girl who has been to stay with his family in Drumquin for the past three summers.
Kevin Skelton and his youngest daughter, Shauna (14) plan to go with other members of the North West Romanian Orphan Fund group to the Eastern bloc country and visit the orphanages and see first hand the conditions the people are living in there.
Eleven-year-old Andreea Crozac has been coming to the Skelton family home for the past three years and Kevin's late wife, Philomena, was very fond of the little Romanian girl.
Mrs. Skelton was one of 29 people killed in the Real IRA bomb that rocked the world a year ago. She had been on a rare shopping trip to the town when the massive bomb exploded.
Mr. Skelton said Andreea had been especially close to Philomena, and she had just returned home last year when his wife was killed.
Mr. Skelton said he will only adopt the girl and an older sister, Nicolette, if he can gain permission from the girls' mother.
"Yes it would be nice to make them part of the family, but I know and my daughters and son know, that there is a big 'if' in the equation," he said.
Mr. Skelton explained that although the girls' mother is still in Romania her children stay in the orphanage because she is not too well off and cannot really afford to look after them.
Mr. Skelton said that he recently saw a video taken in Romania at the orphanages and he said it was heart lifting to see that the items sent out to the little 11-year-old were with her.
"She was wearing the clothes the family sent out. It was great to see that she had received them," he said.
Mr. Skelton said his wife had talked often about adopting the children and it was something close to her heart.
"We have all grown to love Andreea very much. She is just part of the family and my own children think the world of her," he said.
Strength
He went on: "For the past three weeks she has been a tower of strength to us even though I know it has been hard for her. We took her to Philomena's grave and she was very quiet."
The Skelton family are one of a number of families in Drumquin who look after the Romanian visitors during the summer months, and they all love to have the children.
"It gives me something to occupy my mind with, particularly at this time," he said.
"There were tears in Drumquin street on Monday when people were saying goodbye to the children. Everyone becomes attached to them, and although we all know they have to go, it is still hard to say goodbye," he added.
Along with a few others, Kevin and Shauna intend to head for Romania in October and visit the orphanages.
"At least we will be able to come back tell people about what life is really like out there," he said.
And while there Kevin intends to meet with Andreea and Nicolette's mother and discuss plans to formally adopt the girls, but only if she felt they would be better off living in Drumquin.
"Adoption would be ideal. It is something we all want and I know Philomena would have too," he said.
Further Information
Publisher: TYRONE CONSTITUTION
Ref: TC/0619
Published Date: 12-Aug-99
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