GIFT OF LOVE SEES BRIGHT FUTURE FOR BRAVE COUPLE
Gift of love sees bright future for brave couple
BY ROSETTA DONNELLY
AS OMAGH bomb survivors Donna Marie and Garry McGillion settle down to the busy job of parenthood, they say the arrival of baby Cara is the best thing to have happened in their lives.
Cara Frances McGillion surprised everyone by coming nine days early and was born in Altnagelvin Hospital on Wednesday last weighing a healthy 8Ib 4 ozs.
A beaming and radiant Donna Marie said, "She is just the most beautiful little girl in the world".
The birth of the little girl is an important milestone in the lives of this brave couple who have tried since the bomb to forget what occurred but were faced with daily reminders of what had happened.
"We always said that it's the future which is important and not what has happened. Cara suddenly makes that a reality. She is our future," said the proud mother.
Donna Marie and Garry married over two years ago a wedding which had been originally planned for September 1998, but had to be postponed because of the horrific injuries the couple received in the Omagh bomb.
Holding her daughter, Donna Marie said, "Cara is the perfect gift she is the most beautiful thing in the world. When I look back on it now I never thought I'd be holding my baby girl like this.
"We thought it would be a long time before we'd ever try for a baby but we were delighted when the doctors said we could go ahead," she added.
The name Cara was a favourite of Garry's and when Donna Marie learned that it means 'little friend', she felt it was meaningful. Frances is after grandmothers on both sides of the family.
"I hope that Cara will be a friend to many people and I think she will. Her life will be different in that she will grow up seeing our scars daily and she will take it as natural and this will help to make her less judgmental".
"She will see the problems I have with my injuries every day. She'll know I'm different but I just hope she loves her mum and dad," said Donna Marie. She said she has had to get used to people 'taking a second look' at her but said she does not mind.
"They do this purely from instinct and I can understand because I would probably do the same."
Although Donna Marie is not in daily pain, she does face endless surgery on her face and body. She still has to wear a mask to help reduce scar tissue and the first of an estimated six plastic surgery operations is to begin in January.
She speaks lovingly of her husband who has been a tower of strength to her: "From the bomb I have had great support from my family but my pillar has always been Garry. He was always there for me and didn't treat me differently," she said.
Garry who is a typical doting Dad says he is in awe of his new baby. "She is a great wee thing and not a lot of bother".
He too believes that he and Donna Marie will be good parents and he is looking forward to spending time with little Cara. "Becoming a Dad makes me think of my own childhood and all the things I was taught to value. Most of all I was given love and I will be passing that on to my child".
Garry also has a few operations ahead of him to help give him back strength in his arm. He opened a business "The Tool Box" along with his brother-in-law some weeks ago. However the 27 year old still has a hankering to become a fireman like his father and hopes that someday he will be well enough to do this.
Garry says he tries to put the Omagh bomb behind him and look towards the future: "But it's hard to do that when you cannot sleep at night because of the memories and each time you walk past a mirror you see the scars."
"We have had a roller-coaster few years, but I think the birth of Cara is going to be the beginning of the levelling out for us. She has given us the grasp of what we want our lives to be.
"We hope people look at us and see life does get better. This is our light at the end of the tunnel and we hope it just goes on from here".
Garry says he will never forgive the people who planted the bomb in Omagh, but believes that if justice is not done in this lifetime that it will be done in the next. "How can I forgive someone when I don't know who I am forgiving."
However he says he does not want to be eaten up by anger: "Myself and Donna Marie cope by setting ourselves goals and working towards them".
Cara was a very special goal that both had not dared to hope for two years ago.
BY ROSETTA DONNELLY
AS OMAGH bomb survivors Donna Marie and Garry McGillion settle down to the busy job of parenthood, they say the arrival of baby Cara is the best thing to have happened in their lives.
Cara Frances McGillion surprised everyone by coming nine days early and was born in Altnagelvin Hospital on Wednesday last weighing a healthy 8Ib 4 ozs.
A beaming and radiant Donna Marie said, "She is just the most beautiful little girl in the world".
The birth of the little girl is an important milestone in the lives of this brave couple who have tried since the bomb to forget what occurred but were faced with daily reminders of what had happened.
"We always said that it's the future which is important and not what has happened. Cara suddenly makes that a reality. She is our future," said the proud mother.
Donna Marie and Garry married over two years ago a wedding which had been originally planned for September 1998, but had to be postponed because of the horrific injuries the couple received in the Omagh bomb.
Holding her daughter, Donna Marie said, "Cara is the perfect gift she is the most beautiful thing in the world. When I look back on it now I never thought I'd be holding my baby girl like this.
"We thought it would be a long time before we'd ever try for a baby but we were delighted when the doctors said we could go ahead," she added.
The name Cara was a favourite of Garry's and when Donna Marie learned that it means 'little friend', she felt it was meaningful. Frances is after grandmothers on both sides of the family.
"I hope that Cara will be a friend to many people and I think she will. Her life will be different in that she will grow up seeing our scars daily and she will take it as natural and this will help to make her less judgmental".
"She will see the problems I have with my injuries every day. She'll know I'm different but I just hope she loves her mum and dad," said Donna Marie. She said she has had to get used to people 'taking a second look' at her but said she does not mind.
"They do this purely from instinct and I can understand because I would probably do the same."
Although Donna Marie is not in daily pain, she does face endless surgery on her face and body. She still has to wear a mask to help reduce scar tissue and the first of an estimated six plastic surgery operations is to begin in January.
She speaks lovingly of her husband who has been a tower of strength to her: "From the bomb I have had great support from my family but my pillar has always been Garry. He was always there for me and didn't treat me differently," she said.
Garry who is a typical doting Dad says he is in awe of his new baby. "She is a great wee thing and not a lot of bother".
He too believes that he and Donna Marie will be good parents and he is looking forward to spending time with little Cara. "Becoming a Dad makes me think of my own childhood and all the things I was taught to value. Most of all I was given love and I will be passing that on to my child".
Garry also has a few operations ahead of him to help give him back strength in his arm. He opened a business "The Tool Box" along with his brother-in-law some weeks ago. However the 27 year old still has a hankering to become a fireman like his father and hopes that someday he will be well enough to do this.
Garry says he tries to put the Omagh bomb behind him and look towards the future: "But it's hard to do that when you cannot sleep at night because of the memories and each time you walk past a mirror you see the scars."
"We have had a roller-coaster few years, but I think the birth of Cara is going to be the beginning of the levelling out for us. She has given us the grasp of what we want our lives to be.
"We hope people look at us and see life does get better. This is our light at the end of the tunnel and we hope it just goes on from here".
Garry says he will never forgive the people who planted the bomb in Omagh, but believes that if justice is not done in this lifetime that it will be done in the next. "How can I forgive someone when I don't know who I am forgiving."
However he says he does not want to be eaten up by anger: "Myself and Donna Marie cope by setting ourselves goals and working towards them".
Cara was a very special goal that both had not dared to hope for two years ago.
Further Information
Publisher: ULSTER HERALD
Ref: UH/0837
Published Date: 06-Sep-01
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