AGONY OF LOVED RIPPED APART
AGONY OF LOVE RIPPED APART
By JOE GORROD
ANNIVERSARIES meant a lot to sweethearts Kenny Hawkes and Esther Gibson.
But their romance has been torn apart by the bomb that killed Sunday School teacher Esther as she did her Saturday shopping.
Kenny sobbed yesterday: "I died with her.
"I wish I had been with her and we had died together. I only want to be with her now."
The couple, both 36, remembered the minute they met, 11.45pm on March 9 last year.
They were engaged on Kenny's birthday, May 5, and would have been married on July 29 next year, Esther's birthday.
She lived in Beragh, a village on the outskirts of Omagh, the eldest of five girls and six boys.
She was to have been bridesmaid at her kid sister Caroline's wedding in six weeks.
Kenny said: "We were planning to build a house beside my family's farm and start a family.
"She was kind and loving, the most generous person I have ever been lucky enough to know."
"We just wanted to be together forever."
Kenny and Esther parted with a last kiss.
He said: "I heard the explosion and knew she was in town.
"I tried to reach her by phone and then went to look for her.
"I found her car parked near a supermarket and my heart turned over, her shopping bags were still in the back seat."
Hours of frantic inquiries led to the terrible truth.
Kenny added: "When we were asked to identify her body, my world collapsed. Nothing will be the same."
By JOE GORROD
ANNIVERSARIES meant a lot to sweethearts Kenny Hawkes and Esther Gibson.
But their romance has been torn apart by the bomb that killed Sunday School teacher Esther as she did her Saturday shopping.
Kenny sobbed yesterday: "I died with her.
"I wish I had been with her and we had died together. I only want to be with her now."
The couple, both 36, remembered the minute they met, 11.45pm on March 9 last year.
They were engaged on Kenny's birthday, May 5, and would have been married on July 29 next year, Esther's birthday.
She lived in Beragh, a village on the outskirts of Omagh, the eldest of five girls and six boys.
She was to have been bridesmaid at her kid sister Caroline's wedding in six weeks.
Kenny said: "We were planning to build a house beside my family's farm and start a family.
"She was kind and loving, the most generous person I have ever been lucky enough to know."
"We just wanted to be together forever."
Kenny and Esther parted with a last kiss.
He said: "I heard the explosion and knew she was in town.
"I tried to reach her by phone and then went to look for her.
"I found her car parked near a supermarket and my heart turned over, her shopping bags were still in the back seat."
Hours of frantic inquiries led to the terrible truth.
Kenny added: "When we were asked to identify her body, my world collapsed. Nothing will be the same."
Further Information
Publisher: THE MIRROR
Ref: TM/026
Published Date: 18-Aug-98
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