BRAVE BOMB VICTIM PREPARES TO WALK UP THE AISLE
Brave bomb victim prepares to walk up the aisle on crutches
TO give in to bitterness and depression as the anniversary approaches would represent a victory for the bombers, according to a resilient young bride-to-be.
Katherine Kelly's right leg and foot were severely injured in the Market Street atrocity, and the best friend she had chosen as her chief bridesmaid, Rachel Davis, suffered a similar injury.
The big day had been set for September 26 but like fellow bomb victim, Donna Marie Keyes, Katherine had to postpone her wedding to Bryan Mulcahy.
"When September 26 arrived last year I was angry and upset. Everytime I looked at my watch I thought we should have been in the church now, or taking photos, or listening to speeches," she said.
"And on the following day I remember thinking I should have been Mrs Mulcahy today "
Now a new date has been set, and the 27-year-old daughter of Martin and Bernadette Kelly, of Eskra, who now lives at Lammy Crescent, is determined to walk up the aisle - albeit with the aid of crutches on October 8.
But the past year has not been easy for the former auxiliary nurse at the Tyrone and Fermanagh Hospital.
A piece of shrapnel from the car bomb entered her leg and almost severed the sciatic nerve, which extends from the back of the thigh to the calf, leaving Katherine with no feeling or power in her foot.
"It is a strange sensation," she explained, "I can't feel the sun, or any heat, or water on my foot."
After four operations on her injured limb, and one to repair a perforated eardrum, Katherine has become well acquainted with the dedicated staff at the Tyrone County Hospital, the Royal Victoria Hospital, Belfast, and the Ulster Hospital, Dundonald.
The damaged nerve had to be replaced with a segment from her left leg, and it could take from a year-and-a-half to two years for her to walk without crutches.
"I know I will never feel my foot on the ground again, but that doesn't bother me as long as I am able to walk," she said.
After a year of ups and downs, Katherine admits that she did not have a positive frame of mind after the bomb last year, when she would only leave her bedroom to attend hospital appointments.
"But during the last few months I have decided that I have to be positive. I couldn't keep feeling that way because it would mean that the bombers had won," she said.
Determined
"They took over my life for about eight months, but not any more. I am starting to be more positive. I am determined I will walk again."
As she is not yet fit to return to work, Katherine is now thinking about going back to full-time education, and with what she has learned about the range of emotions a person can experience, psychology seems like an obvious choice.
"Before August I always told myself I didn't have time. I was working, and I lacked motivation. I always had an excuse, but now I'm going for it," she said.
"Nothing is going to beat me now, and certainly not the bombers. I will have bad days. I will have tempers and bad moods, but this time 1 am more positive. I will go on, I will not go back. I have a lot of good friends and a strong family and Bryan. I'm not on my own."
Katherine gives credit to her parents, and her three devoted brothers, Mark (25), Tony (24) and Eamonn (20). Tony came back from Dublin to look after Katherine after the bomb, and has not returned.
She said the bomb has permanently changed her personal relationships, and has made the bonds that already existed stronger.
"It hasn't just been hard on the people who were injured. What I have put my fiance through since has been unbelievable, and there were times I thought we would never make it. People say you have your ups and downs when you are married, but if we have got through this we will manage marriage alright," she said.
Supportive
"It has also been hard on my family and friends who saw my scars and bandages and didn't know what to say. But I have very good friends and everyone has been very supportive. My emotions have been up and down and they have had to learn how to cope with it."
Katherine has a great affinity with other bomb victims, and says she has drawn inspiration from their achievements and progress, especially with the approach of the anniversary.
"I know it will be on all day on TV. Everything will be focused on it and everyone will be thinking how much our lives changed that day. The smells and the sights will all come back just as strong," she said.
"It is not something that will change us for a couple of years, it will never go away. We will all take it to our graves.
"It will not be easy to cope with the anniversary, but I have been keeping myself busy with the wedding preparations," she said.
"At first I wasn't sure if I should go through with the wedding because I knew I wouldn't be off the crutches for a couple of years, and maybe Rachel would be the same. But that day in September was supposed to be our day, and I didn't see why I should put it off again.
"It will a wedding that nearly didn't happen. Rachel is a different religion from me, which I suppose is symbolic, although differences in religion never mattered to me. It is just important for me to have my best friend standing there."
So both Katherine and Rachel have resigned themselves to walking up the aisle with the aid of crutches. But even in this sad situation, Katherine found some humour.
"If one of us falls, the other will catch them," she joked.
TO give in to bitterness and depression as the anniversary approaches would represent a victory for the bombers, according to a resilient young bride-to-be.
Katherine Kelly's right leg and foot were severely injured in the Market Street atrocity, and the best friend she had chosen as her chief bridesmaid, Rachel Davis, suffered a similar injury.
The big day had been set for September 26 but like fellow bomb victim, Donna Marie Keyes, Katherine had to postpone her wedding to Bryan Mulcahy.
"When September 26 arrived last year I was angry and upset. Everytime I looked at my watch I thought we should have been in the church now, or taking photos, or listening to speeches," she said.
"And on the following day I remember thinking I should have been Mrs Mulcahy today "
Now a new date has been set, and the 27-year-old daughter of Martin and Bernadette Kelly, of Eskra, who now lives at Lammy Crescent, is determined to walk up the aisle - albeit with the aid of crutches on October 8.
But the past year has not been easy for the former auxiliary nurse at the Tyrone and Fermanagh Hospital.
A piece of shrapnel from the car bomb entered her leg and almost severed the sciatic nerve, which extends from the back of the thigh to the calf, leaving Katherine with no feeling or power in her foot.
"It is a strange sensation," she explained, "I can't feel the sun, or any heat, or water on my foot."
After four operations on her injured limb, and one to repair a perforated eardrum, Katherine has become well acquainted with the dedicated staff at the Tyrone County Hospital, the Royal Victoria Hospital, Belfast, and the Ulster Hospital, Dundonald.
The damaged nerve had to be replaced with a segment from her left leg, and it could take from a year-and-a-half to two years for her to walk without crutches.
"I know I will never feel my foot on the ground again, but that doesn't bother me as long as I am able to walk," she said.
After a year of ups and downs, Katherine admits that she did not have a positive frame of mind after the bomb last year, when she would only leave her bedroom to attend hospital appointments.
"But during the last few months I have decided that I have to be positive. I couldn't keep feeling that way because it would mean that the bombers had won," she said.
Determined
"They took over my life for about eight months, but not any more. I am starting to be more positive. I am determined I will walk again."
As she is not yet fit to return to work, Katherine is now thinking about going back to full-time education, and with what she has learned about the range of emotions a person can experience, psychology seems like an obvious choice.
"Before August I always told myself I didn't have time. I was working, and I lacked motivation. I always had an excuse, but now I'm going for it," she said.
"Nothing is going to beat me now, and certainly not the bombers. I will have bad days. I will have tempers and bad moods, but this time 1 am more positive. I will go on, I will not go back. I have a lot of good friends and a strong family and Bryan. I'm not on my own."
Katherine gives credit to her parents, and her three devoted brothers, Mark (25), Tony (24) and Eamonn (20). Tony came back from Dublin to look after Katherine after the bomb, and has not returned.
She said the bomb has permanently changed her personal relationships, and has made the bonds that already existed stronger.
"It hasn't just been hard on the people who were injured. What I have put my fiance through since has been unbelievable, and there were times I thought we would never make it. People say you have your ups and downs when you are married, but if we have got through this we will manage marriage alright," she said.
Supportive
"It has also been hard on my family and friends who saw my scars and bandages and didn't know what to say. But I have very good friends and everyone has been very supportive. My emotions have been up and down and they have had to learn how to cope with it."
Katherine has a great affinity with other bomb victims, and says she has drawn inspiration from their achievements and progress, especially with the approach of the anniversary.
"I know it will be on all day on TV. Everything will be focused on it and everyone will be thinking how much our lives changed that day. The smells and the sights will all come back just as strong," she said.
"It is not something that will change us for a couple of years, it will never go away. We will all take it to our graves.
"It will not be easy to cope with the anniversary, but I have been keeping myself busy with the wedding preparations," she said.
"At first I wasn't sure if I should go through with the wedding because I knew I wouldn't be off the crutches for a couple of years, and maybe Rachel would be the same. But that day in September was supposed to be our day, and I didn't see why I should put it off again.
"It will a wedding that nearly didn't happen. Rachel is a different religion from me, which I suppose is symbolic, although differences in religion never mattered to me. It is just important for me to have my best friend standing there."
So both Katherine and Rachel have resigned themselves to walking up the aisle with the aid of crutches. But even in this sad situation, Katherine found some humour.
"If one of us falls, the other will catch them," she joked.
Further Information
Publisher: TYRONE CONSTITUTION
Ref: TC/0703
Published Date: 12-Aug-99
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