SKELTON FAMILY TRYING TO ADOPT ROMANIAN ORPHAN
Skelton family trying to adopt Romanian orphan
A DRUMQUIN father-of-four, whose wife was among those who died in the Market Street bombing, is planning to travel to Eastern Europe later this year in an attempt to adopt a young Romanian orphan.
Kevin Skelton hopes to persuade authorities to allow eleven-year-old Andrea Cozac and her sister Nicolette (13) to become permanent members of his family.
For the past three years, little Andrea has spent summer holidays with the Skelton family.
And during the past three weeks, the youngster has joined Kevin's daughters Paula (19), Tracey (16) and Shauna (14) and son Ray (17) at the family's home in McCrea Park.
Andrea returned to her homeland on Monday, but this week a heartbroken Kevin revealed he intends travelling to Romania in October in the hopes of adopting both sisters.
He said: "I am planning to travel with Shauna and others from the area who hosted children this year and hopefully I will be able to meet with Andrea's mother.
"If she feels the child will enjoy a better life in Drumquin, then I'll try to arrange to have her and her sister formally adopted.
"However, if she feels she needs money to take the children out of the orphanage, then I'll make arrangements for that instead."
The idea of looking after a young orphan was initiated by Kevin's late wife, Philomena who was among the victims of last August's attack.
Last week, members of the Skelton family returned to Omagh' to purchase school uniforms - the same shopping trip they had undertaken on 15th August last year.
"That was the last job my wife set out to do that day and returning to Omagh this year was not easy for us at all.
"Although we didn't go anywhere near that part of the town, it was still a difficult time for us," he added
This Sunday, the Skelton family would not be attending the memorial service in Omagh dedicated to those who died, Kevin said.
Instead they will gather for a special anniversary Mass in St Patrick's Church on Sunday morning at 11am.
"We just can't face going to the ceremony where politicians who have done little or nothing to bring about peace within the past year will be in attendance.
"We would just rather remember Philomena during Mass that morning," he added.
A DRUMQUIN father-of-four, whose wife was among those who died in the Market Street bombing, is planning to travel to Eastern Europe later this year in an attempt to adopt a young Romanian orphan.
Kevin Skelton hopes to persuade authorities to allow eleven-year-old Andrea Cozac and her sister Nicolette (13) to become permanent members of his family.
For the past three years, little Andrea has spent summer holidays with the Skelton family.
And during the past three weeks, the youngster has joined Kevin's daughters Paula (19), Tracey (16) and Shauna (14) and son Ray (17) at the family's home in McCrea Park.
Andrea returned to her homeland on Monday, but this week a heartbroken Kevin revealed he intends travelling to Romania in October in the hopes of adopting both sisters.
He said: "I am planning to travel with Shauna and others from the area who hosted children this year and hopefully I will be able to meet with Andrea's mother.
"If she feels the child will enjoy a better life in Drumquin, then I'll try to arrange to have her and her sister formally adopted.
"However, if she feels she needs money to take the children out of the orphanage, then I'll make arrangements for that instead."
The idea of looking after a young orphan was initiated by Kevin's late wife, Philomena who was among the victims of last August's attack.
Last week, members of the Skelton family returned to Omagh' to purchase school uniforms - the same shopping trip they had undertaken on 15th August last year.
"That was the last job my wife set out to do that day and returning to Omagh this year was not easy for us at all.
"Although we didn't go anywhere near that part of the town, it was still a difficult time for us," he added
This Sunday, the Skelton family would not be attending the memorial service in Omagh dedicated to those who died, Kevin said.
Instead they will gather for a special anniversary Mass in St Patrick's Church on Sunday morning at 11am.
"We just can't face going to the ceremony where politicians who have done little or nothing to bring about peace within the past year will be in attendance.
"We would just rather remember Philomena during Mass that morning," he added.
Further Information
Publisher: ULSTER HERALD
Ref: UH/0461
Published Date: 12-Aug-99
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