OMAGH BOMB SURVIVOR TO WED
OMAGH BOMB SURV1VOR TO WED
Widower to marry mother of Romanian adoption child
BY ROSETTA DONNELLY
AFTER seven years of heartbreak after his wife Philomena died in the Omagh bomb, Drumquin man Kevin Skelton is to marry again.
The 50-year-old father of four is to wed the Romanian mother of a child he had tried to adopt.
Speaking to the Tyrone Herald yesterday, the delighted Kevin said the feelings he felt for Maria Nedelcu was something which he tried to hide from himself for a while. as he felt it was too soon following the death of his wife, Mena. But he said, "in a funny kind of way, it is something about which Mena would be happy."
The couple's happiness has been blighted somewhat by the barrage of red tape which they have encountered with Maria being a non-EU resident.
Kevin met Maria when he travelled to an orphanage where her middle daughter, Andrea, was staying.
The former lorry driver and his late wife, Mena had been taken by the nine-year-old when she came to stay at their home in Drumquin, on a two-week holiday in 1997.
Neither of them was aware that her mother was still alive and they had discussed the possibility of adopting her before the 1998 bomb attack, Kevin said.
But when he arrived at the orphanage after his wife's death, he discovered Maria waiting for him, frightened that he had come to take her child away.
The factory worker had put her children into temporary care because she could not afford to look after them.
Kevin said, "From the day I saw Maria for the first time something happened to me. I felt something for her the minute I saw her. But I didn't say anything."
I battled with all sorts of guilt because of my late wife and I did not say anything to anyone about how I felt, not even to Maria. But the feelings did not go away."
Kevin said that over the last few years he has been travelling to Romania about twice a year.
It was only after a series of trips to Romania that Maria finally wrote to him last September revealing her true feelings for him.
Since then a delighted Kevin has proposed and brought Maria over to Drumquin on a six-month visa to acclimatise her to the new lifestyle.
Maria, 39, has already moved here with two of her three daughters, from her former home in Fagaras, central Romania.
The couple had to receive permission to be married from the Home Office because Maria is from a non-EU country.
Kevin's initial application was rejected. "But Mark Durkan (SDLP leader) sent a letter back to the minister and it turned out he knew nothing about it. Some civil servant had dealt with it," Mr Skelton said:
"They were embarrassed and I got a letter back from the Home Office saying they would give me a certificate to get married on compassionate grounds."
Even though the couple are getting married in ten days time, they must return to Romania within weeks to seek out another visa securing Maria right to live in the North.
Kevin said Maria had helped him with a depression that had engulfed him since the bombing.
"I was sitting here feeling sorry for myself and fighting with politicians and felt that my one chance of happiness was gone with Mena's death.
"One of my daughters said if Mummy could come back for five minutes the first thing she would do would be to tell me to get off my backside. She wasn't a person who would want me sitting about moping".
Recalling how his late wife had wanted to have someone from Romania to stay. "It was Mena who chose Andrea and it seems coincidence that she should choose someone whose mother I would eventually go on to marry.
I feel Mena's guiding hand is with me on this as Maria's date of birth is August 31, which is the date Mena and I got married".
Kevin has also sold his house and moved to the other side of the village. "I was looking out from my house at Mena's grave and each day I looked at it. And moving has certainly helped lift my heart".
Amongst the barrage of red tape which is continuing as they try to get visas for Maria's children, the couple are planning their wedding which will be held at Omagh Council's Registry Office on Wednesday, October 12.
Afterwards there will be a reception at the Hunting Lodge for about 120 guests.
Maria's eldest child, Nipoleta, 19, is travelling over on holiday for the wedding.
Widower to marry mother of Romanian adoption child
BY ROSETTA DONNELLY
AFTER seven years of heartbreak after his wife Philomena died in the Omagh bomb, Drumquin man Kevin Skelton is to marry again.
The 50-year-old father of four is to wed the Romanian mother of a child he had tried to adopt.
Speaking to the Tyrone Herald yesterday, the delighted Kevin said the feelings he felt for Maria Nedelcu was something which he tried to hide from himself for a while. as he felt it was too soon following the death of his wife, Mena. But he said, "in a funny kind of way, it is something about which Mena would be happy."
The couple's happiness has been blighted somewhat by the barrage of red tape which they have encountered with Maria being a non-EU resident.
Kevin met Maria when he travelled to an orphanage where her middle daughter, Andrea, was staying.
The former lorry driver and his late wife, Mena had been taken by the nine-year-old when she came to stay at their home in Drumquin, on a two-week holiday in 1997.
Neither of them was aware that her mother was still alive and they had discussed the possibility of adopting her before the 1998 bomb attack, Kevin said.
But when he arrived at the orphanage after his wife's death, he discovered Maria waiting for him, frightened that he had come to take her child away.
The factory worker had put her children into temporary care because she could not afford to look after them.
Kevin said, "From the day I saw Maria for the first time something happened to me. I felt something for her the minute I saw her. But I didn't say anything."
I battled with all sorts of guilt because of my late wife and I did not say anything to anyone about how I felt, not even to Maria. But the feelings did not go away."
Kevin said that over the last few years he has been travelling to Romania about twice a year.
It was only after a series of trips to Romania that Maria finally wrote to him last September revealing her true feelings for him.
Since then a delighted Kevin has proposed and brought Maria over to Drumquin on a six-month visa to acclimatise her to the new lifestyle.
Maria, 39, has already moved here with two of her three daughters, from her former home in Fagaras, central Romania.
The couple had to receive permission to be married from the Home Office because Maria is from a non-EU country.
Kevin's initial application was rejected. "But Mark Durkan (SDLP leader) sent a letter back to the minister and it turned out he knew nothing about it. Some civil servant had dealt with it," Mr Skelton said:
"They were embarrassed and I got a letter back from the Home Office saying they would give me a certificate to get married on compassionate grounds."
Even though the couple are getting married in ten days time, they must return to Romania within weeks to seek out another visa securing Maria right to live in the North.
Kevin said Maria had helped him with a depression that had engulfed him since the bombing.
"I was sitting here feeling sorry for myself and fighting with politicians and felt that my one chance of happiness was gone with Mena's death.
"One of my daughters said if Mummy could come back for five minutes the first thing she would do would be to tell me to get off my backside. She wasn't a person who would want me sitting about moping".
Recalling how his late wife had wanted to have someone from Romania to stay. "It was Mena who chose Andrea and it seems coincidence that she should choose someone whose mother I would eventually go on to marry.
I feel Mena's guiding hand is with me on this as Maria's date of birth is August 31, which is the date Mena and I got married".
Kevin has also sold his house and moved to the other side of the village. "I was looking out from my house at Mena's grave and each day I looked at it. And moving has certainly helped lift my heart".
Amongst the barrage of red tape which is continuing as they try to get visas for Maria's children, the couple are planning their wedding which will be held at Omagh Council's Registry Office on Wednesday, October 12.
Afterwards there will be a reception at the Hunting Lodge for about 120 guests.
Maria's eldest child, Nipoleta, 19, is travelling over on holiday for the wedding.
Further Information
Publisher: TYRONE HERALD
Ref: TYH/023
Published Date: 03-Oct-05
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