0:00:02 > 0:00:04How often have you watched the news and seen disasters?
0:00:04 > 0:00:06- REPORTER:- The sea rose up 20 feet, flooding the area.
0:00:06 > 0:00:07And tragedies?
0:00:07 > 0:00:10- REPORTER:- The bomb exploded at about 3:10 this afternoon.
0:00:10 > 0:00:12But what if you were caught up in the events?
0:00:12 > 0:00:14GUNFIRE, PANICKED SHOUTING
0:00:14 > 0:00:18I've been out there and checked so many bodies, and she's not there.
0:00:18 > 0:00:20And now, inspired by your past,
0:00:20 > 0:00:22you're on a mission to help someone today.
0:00:22 > 0:00:26The support that we had after the fire was so tremendous.
0:00:26 > 0:00:29You just want to do something for the people that helped us.
0:00:29 > 0:00:33Hopefully, I'll be able to help him to achieve some of his goals.
0:00:33 > 0:00:37Someone who has no idea that this life-changing gift is coming.
0:00:37 > 0:00:40Oh, my days. Why's there so many people outside?
0:00:40 > 0:00:41Hi, Paul.
0:00:41 > 0:00:42CHEERING
0:00:42 > 0:00:44Thank you so much.
0:00:44 > 0:00:48We're here today to surprise somebody very special.
0:00:48 > 0:00:50- CHEERING AND APPLAUSE - Amazing.
0:00:50 > 0:00:52This is go Going Back, Giving Back.
0:00:56 > 0:00:58It's August, 1998,
0:00:58 > 0:01:01a car bomb explodes in the middle of Omagh,
0:01:01 > 0:01:03a small town in Northern Ireland.
0:01:03 > 0:01:05In just one moment,
0:01:05 > 0:01:08a busy shopping street on a Saturday afternoon was transformed
0:01:08 > 0:01:11into a scene of carnage and mayhem.
0:01:11 > 0:01:1417 years later, a lone gunman goes on a shooting spree
0:01:14 > 0:01:17at a holiday beach resort, killing 38 people.
0:01:17 > 0:01:20GUNFIRE, PANICKED SHOUTING
0:01:20 > 0:01:24Two terror attacks in which 67 people lost their lives.
0:01:26 > 0:01:27But can a father and daughter,
0:01:27 > 0:01:30who suffered heartbreaking loss in the Omagh bombing,
0:01:30 > 0:01:34find a way to help a young girl traumatised by the Tunisian attack?
0:01:34 > 0:01:37We know that there's other people going through those dark days,
0:01:37 > 0:01:39and to have someone say, "Look, I've been there
0:01:39 > 0:01:42"and I've come through this. You can do it, too."
0:01:47 > 0:01:50Our story starts here, in County Tyrone,
0:01:50 > 0:01:52just outside the town of Omagh.
0:01:52 > 0:01:55I'm about to meet Michael Gallagher and his daughter, Cat.
0:01:55 > 0:01:58They both had to rebuild their lives after the family was torn apart
0:01:58 > 0:02:00in the most devastating way.
0:02:05 > 0:02:08- Hi, Aled.- Hey, how are you? Nice to meet you.- Lovely to see you.
0:02:08 > 0:02:09- Come on and head in. - Thank you very much.
0:02:09 > 0:02:11- Oh, it's nice and warm.- It is.
0:02:15 > 0:02:17Cat, Michael, really lovely to see you.
0:02:17 > 0:02:18Thanks so much for meeting me.
0:02:18 > 0:02:22It's almost 20 years since the Omagh bomb?
0:02:22 > 0:02:26It's getting there, yeah. We're... This year's the 19th year.
0:02:28 > 0:02:31August the 15th 1998 was a hot Saturday afternoon.
0:02:33 > 0:02:36Cat's brother, Aidan, was 21 years old.
0:02:36 > 0:02:40He had the day off and had decided to head into the centre of Omagh
0:02:40 > 0:02:42to buy a pair of jeans and some work boots.
0:02:44 > 0:02:47It was busy in town, with shoppers running their errands.
0:02:50 > 0:02:55Shortly after three, a car packed with 225kg of explosives
0:02:55 > 0:02:57was detonated on Market Street,
0:02:57 > 0:03:00right in the middle of the busiest area.
0:03:02 > 0:03:06A huge amount of devastation and a very large number of casualties.
0:03:06 > 0:03:08SIREN BLARES
0:03:08 > 0:03:1229 people were killed, and 220 were injured in the blast.
0:03:12 > 0:03:16A splinter group, the Real IRA, admitted responsibility.
0:03:16 > 0:03:20Aidan Gallagher was just metres from the car...
0:03:20 > 0:03:22and died instantly.
0:03:22 > 0:03:25How difficult has it been for you just to try and live a normal life?
0:03:25 > 0:03:28Well, it's been really difficult because all, like,
0:03:28 > 0:03:31the milestones in your life - getting married, having children -
0:03:31 > 0:03:33and you just wished Aidan could have been there for those things.
0:03:33 > 0:03:36You know, his birthday, he would have been 40 last year,
0:03:36 > 0:03:38and that was a milestone for us.
0:03:38 > 0:03:41You try and manage it. You never get over it.
0:03:41 > 0:03:45But there is, you know, sensitive times and sensitive places
0:03:45 > 0:03:49when you go past where we used to work, we used to live,
0:03:49 > 0:03:56and places like the church and the graveyard, that sort of thing.
0:03:57 > 0:04:01At the time of his death, Aidan was just finding his place in life.
0:04:01 > 0:04:05Passionate about cars, he'd studied car body work at Portadown College,
0:04:05 > 0:04:08and spent the last two years building the family garage business
0:04:08 > 0:04:10with his dad.
0:04:10 > 0:04:14The sudden and devastating loss of a loving son and brother
0:04:14 > 0:04:16hit the family hard.
0:04:16 > 0:04:19But they couldn't lock themselves away and grieve in private.
0:04:19 > 0:04:22The horror of the bomb attracted global interest,
0:04:22 > 0:04:25and they found themselves on a very public stage.
0:04:27 > 0:04:30I think that was the hardest thing for myself to deal with
0:04:30 > 0:04:32because I was a very private person.
0:04:32 > 0:04:37When you opened your front door and there was BBC, Sky News, ITV...
0:04:37 > 0:04:39I mean, it was just unbelievable.
0:04:39 > 0:04:42You just felt like your life was in the spotlight
0:04:42 > 0:04:45and, I mean, it was really hard to cope with Aidan's death,
0:04:45 > 0:04:49but then on top of that, you felt you had to represent yourself.
0:04:52 > 0:04:54Two days after Aidan died, Michael was interviewed,
0:04:54 > 0:04:57remembering the last time he saw his son.
0:04:57 > 0:05:00It was just lovely to remember them last few minutes...
0:05:00 > 0:05:02- VOICE BREAKING:- ..that he was standing there,
0:05:02 > 0:05:04you know, and he was...
0:05:06 > 0:05:09He was just the way you would want him to be.
0:05:11 > 0:05:15The difficulty the family had in coming to terms with Aidan's death
0:05:15 > 0:05:18has driven Michael and Cat to dedicate their lives
0:05:18 > 0:05:19to helping others.
0:05:19 > 0:05:23They decided to set up a support group in the aftermath of the bomb,
0:05:23 > 0:05:27offering practical and financial help to victims and their families,
0:05:27 > 0:05:32as well as raise awareness of the devastating effects of terrorism.
0:05:32 > 0:05:34The families wanted to talk to each other.
0:05:34 > 0:05:38We were just grieving so badly that you felt
0:05:38 > 0:05:42that you were in a comfort zone when you were with each other.
0:05:42 > 0:05:44We're here as a support, you know, for them,
0:05:44 > 0:05:47as well as helping ourselves, you know.
0:05:47 > 0:05:50The benefits of coming together with other families
0:05:50 > 0:05:53and the solace it offered them at their darkest time
0:05:53 > 0:05:57is what's motivating Cat and Michael to want to give back today.
0:05:57 > 0:06:00But how can they take something that's devastated their life
0:06:00 > 0:06:02and turn it into something positive?
0:06:02 > 0:06:04And what sort of person do you want to help?
0:06:04 > 0:06:06We want to, basically, help someone
0:06:06 > 0:06:08who has, obviously, been affected by terrorism,
0:06:08 > 0:06:11and we particularly want to help people
0:06:11 > 0:06:14who have been maybe in a foreign country, come back with no support.
0:06:14 > 0:06:16Well, in order for you to give something back,
0:06:16 > 0:06:20I think, if it's all right with you, we need to go back first,
0:06:20 > 0:06:23so, if it's not too painful, we'll go back to the events
0:06:23 > 0:06:25of that fateful Saturday.
0:06:25 > 0:06:26Sure. OK. Thank you.
0:06:38 > 0:06:43We're going back to Omagh, and that summer's day in August 1998.
0:06:43 > 0:06:47But before going into the centre of town to where the bomb went off,
0:06:47 > 0:06:49we'll be going back to where Cat and Michael were
0:06:49 > 0:06:51when they heard the explosion.
0:06:51 > 0:06:53Cat was at the family home with her mum,
0:06:53 > 0:06:56while Dad, Michael, was at their garage, working on a car.
0:06:58 > 0:07:01- Omagh itself is not a very big place is it?- No, it's not.
0:07:01 > 0:07:05It's only a small community of about 23,000 to 25,000 people, yeah.
0:07:05 > 0:07:09So almost everyone in the community has been affected by the bomb.
0:07:09 > 0:07:11Right.
0:07:11 > 0:07:14What was the community like in the '90s, before the bomb went off?
0:07:14 > 0:07:16It wasn't a hot spot for trouble.
0:07:16 > 0:07:19And of course, as the '90s progressed,
0:07:19 > 0:07:22it became a lot better because of the ceasefire.
0:07:22 > 0:07:27After 30 years of sectarian conflict, it was peace at last.
0:07:27 > 0:07:29The Good Friday Agreement had been voted for -
0:07:29 > 0:07:32there was a sense of optimism and hope.
0:07:32 > 0:07:37But what people didn't know was the biggest tragedy was yet to come.
0:07:37 > 0:07:40- It was a time of positivity, really, then, wasn't it?- Yes, it was.
0:07:40 > 0:07:42- Up until the bomb, of course.- Yeah.
0:07:42 > 0:07:44Well, we all went out and voted for peace.
0:07:44 > 0:07:47The dark days of the '70s, we were thinking, was over,
0:07:47 > 0:07:50and we didn't think there would be anything to be fearful of, you know.
0:07:53 > 0:07:55The Gallaghers were a happy family.
0:07:56 > 0:08:00Cat was studying computing, whilst Aidan was doing what he loved most -
0:08:00 > 0:08:02working with cars, alongside Dad, Michael,
0:08:02 > 0:08:04at the family garage business.
0:08:06 > 0:08:08And what was your relationship like with him?
0:08:08 > 0:08:10- Typical brother-sister?- Well, yeah.
0:08:10 > 0:08:14Well, Aidan was 14 months older than me, so we were like Irish twins,
0:08:14 > 0:08:18and we went to school together and looked out for each other.
0:08:18 > 0:08:19We both had red hair,
0:08:19 > 0:08:22so we were both teased all our childhood, you know.
0:08:22 > 0:08:24Aidan had a great sense of humour.
0:08:24 > 0:08:27You know, he was so funny, and he was so good at his work.
0:08:27 > 0:08:31He was so talented, you know, with engines and car repairs.
0:08:31 > 0:08:34- All he ever wanted to do was work on cars.- Right.
0:08:34 > 0:08:36He was just, kind of, like, so vibrant,
0:08:36 > 0:08:38you know, he'd so much life in him.
0:08:38 > 0:08:42It was devastating, you know, that Aidan's life was cut short.
0:08:42 > 0:08:45You just never know what Aidan would have become.
0:08:45 > 0:08:48Cat and her brother were inseparable.
0:08:48 > 0:08:51In and out of each other's bedrooms, squabbling, laughing, teasing.
0:08:51 > 0:08:54There are lots of happy memories from the family home,
0:08:54 > 0:08:59which looks today just as it did on the day Aidan died, 19 years ago.
0:09:01 > 0:09:03- So that was it.- That's it, yeah.
0:09:03 > 0:09:05It's where me and Aidan grew up,
0:09:05 > 0:09:08and that was Aidan's bedroom window, to the side there.
0:09:08 > 0:09:12I have many memories of Aidan and that house, you know.
0:09:12 > 0:09:14- Like what?- Playing.
0:09:14 > 0:09:18Aidan had a few motorbikes, and I remember once he came up...
0:09:18 > 0:09:20He was so lazy he wouldn't get off the motorbike.
0:09:20 > 0:09:22He drove up to the front door to ring the door bell
0:09:22 > 0:09:25and put the wheel through the front door
0:09:25 > 0:09:26and broke the pane of glass.
0:09:26 > 0:09:29- What did Dad say?- Yeah, not happy about that.- Not too pleased.
0:09:29 > 0:09:32But, yeah, a lot of good memories.
0:09:32 > 0:09:34So how far are we now -
0:09:34 > 0:09:36let me get my bearings - from the centre of Omagh?
0:09:36 > 0:09:39You're only less than a mile, probably.
0:09:39 > 0:09:41- Less than a mile.- It's not very far.
0:09:41 > 0:09:44- And you were in this house the morning of the bomb?- That's right.
0:09:44 > 0:09:46I was in the kitchen in this house,
0:09:46 > 0:09:49and that's when I heard the explosion,
0:09:49 > 0:09:52and I ran up the stairs and looked out the skylight window,
0:09:52 > 0:09:54and you could actually see the town from the skylight window,
0:09:54 > 0:09:57and that's where I've seen the puff of smoke rising.
0:09:57 > 0:10:00And started to turn the TV on.
0:10:00 > 0:10:02That's when, really, the panic set in then.
0:10:02 > 0:10:04And your poor mum, as well?
0:10:04 > 0:10:06Well, yeah. Mum's completely heartbroken.
0:10:06 > 0:10:08She still is very heartbroken.
0:10:08 > 0:10:09So a lot of happy memories,
0:10:09 > 0:10:12but a lot of very sad memories in that house.
0:10:13 > 0:10:17Cat and her dad, Michael, are making today's journey back for Aidan,
0:10:17 > 0:10:20thinking that he would have wanted them to give something back
0:10:20 > 0:10:22in his name.
0:10:22 > 0:10:24I think Aidan was that kind of person.
0:10:24 > 0:10:26- What do you think, Cat? - Yeah, I think...
0:10:26 > 0:10:29That he would...he would want to,
0:10:29 > 0:10:31he'd want to think that somebody could benefit in some way.
0:10:31 > 0:10:34Yeah, that something positive would have come out of something so evil,
0:10:34 > 0:10:40and being here would remind you on the dark days that we had,
0:10:40 > 0:10:42and we know that there's other people
0:10:42 > 0:10:43going through those dark days.
0:10:43 > 0:10:44And to have someone say,
0:10:44 > 0:10:47"Look, I've been there, and I've come through this,"
0:10:47 > 0:10:49it's so important to be able to give yourself hope...
0:10:49 > 0:10:51- Absolutely.- ..for the future.
0:10:51 > 0:10:54- Well, I'm glad it's brought back happy memories for you.- Thank you.
0:10:54 > 0:10:57- Shall we head back into the car? - Yeah. Thank you.
0:10:57 > 0:10:59We leave the Gallagher's old family home
0:10:59 > 0:11:02and head to our next destination.
0:11:02 > 0:11:04Aidan had loved cars since he was a toddler.
0:11:04 > 0:11:07His sporty Toyota had just broken down,
0:11:07 > 0:11:09and Michael was working on it at their garage
0:11:09 > 0:11:13on the outskirts of Omagh when the blast went off.
0:11:13 > 0:11:15It will be obvious to Cat and Michael
0:11:15 > 0:11:17that's where we're going now.
0:11:17 > 0:11:18I suppose this garage was a place
0:11:18 > 0:11:20where he was really happy, wasn't he?
0:11:20 > 0:11:23It was. Aidan just loved being in the garage.
0:11:23 > 0:11:24He loved tinkering away at cars.
0:11:25 > 0:11:29Revisiting this place is emotional, especially for Cat.
0:11:29 > 0:11:32This is the first time she's been back since Aidan died.
0:11:36 > 0:11:37- You all right?- Yeah.
0:11:50 > 0:11:54No, the sign's exactly the same as when he left it.
0:11:54 > 0:11:56- How do you feel being back here? VOICE CRACKING:- It's difficult.
0:12:03 > 0:12:07- He was happy here, though. - He was.- Very, very. Very.
0:12:08 > 0:12:12You just expect him to be in there, working on a car and you know,
0:12:12 > 0:12:13it was all a nightmare.
0:12:15 > 0:12:18- Still very raw 18 years on, isn't it?- Yeah.
0:12:18 > 0:12:20- 19 years on.- It doesn't go away.
0:12:23 > 0:12:26Michael couldn't carry on at the garage after Aidan's death.
0:12:26 > 0:12:28The memories were just too much.
0:12:28 > 0:12:32Within a few months of losing his son, he sold the business.
0:12:32 > 0:12:35I had to clear this garage out 18 years ago.
0:12:36 > 0:12:38It's difficult.
0:12:42 > 0:12:45- Do you want to head in?- Yeah. - Shall we head in? Come on.
0:12:48 > 0:12:51- So this was his domain? - Yeah, absolutely.
0:12:52 > 0:12:56- So, Michael, you were here...- Yeah. - ..on the morning?- On the morning
0:12:56 > 0:13:01I was actually about here, where I was working on a car.
0:13:01 > 0:13:05And I was lying on the ground, and I heard, actually heard the explosion.
0:13:05 > 0:13:09- And I just...- We're quite a way out of Omagh here, aren't we?
0:13:09 > 0:13:13Whatever way, it came across, and I came out, I got up,
0:13:13 > 0:13:16and I walked out, and I locked those doors, and...
0:13:18 > 0:13:21Yeah. I never thought that that would be a change...
0:13:22 > 0:13:24..a massive change.
0:13:26 > 0:13:30Aidan's coat is still hanging here from the last day that he was here.
0:13:30 > 0:13:33The man that owns the garage said he would never take it down,
0:13:33 > 0:13:35so he's true to his word.
0:13:59 > 0:14:02- A tragic reminder, though, isn't it? - Yeah.- It is.
0:14:04 > 0:14:05It still smells the same.
0:14:05 > 0:14:08You know, the smell is still the same when Aidan was here.
0:14:10 > 0:14:14- The coats hanging there make it so real.- Yeah, yeah.
0:14:17 > 0:14:21Cat and Michael will never get over losing Aidan so suddenly
0:14:21 > 0:14:23and in such tragic circumstances.
0:14:23 > 0:14:27For a young man to have his life cut short in this cruel way
0:14:27 > 0:14:28is devastating.
0:14:28 > 0:14:32But being reminded how everyone - even this garage owner -
0:14:32 > 0:14:36is helping to keep Aidan's memory alive is a huge support.
0:14:40 > 0:14:42We're now heading to the centre of Omagh,
0:14:42 > 0:14:43where the car bomb was planted.
0:14:45 > 0:14:48The 15th of August 1998 was the final day
0:14:48 > 0:14:50of the town's annual carnival week.
0:14:52 > 0:14:55Aidan was recovering from a big night out.
0:14:55 > 0:14:59- You'd seen him the morning he went in...?- That's right, yeah.
0:14:59 > 0:15:01That morning, I went in to see him.
0:15:01 > 0:15:05He had been out the night before and I came in brushing me teeth,
0:15:05 > 0:15:08and I was asking him, "How was it? Did you see such and such?"
0:15:08 > 0:15:11And he was lying in the bed, and he could barely grunt to me to get out.
0:15:11 > 0:15:13He needed a pair of boots for work,
0:15:13 > 0:15:16and he'd been in my room the night before looking at my Levis
0:15:16 > 0:15:20and he wanted a pair, so he says, "I'm going in today to get them,"
0:15:20 > 0:15:21so...yeah.
0:15:23 > 0:15:27At 2pm, two men parked a red Vauxhall Cavalier in Market Street,
0:15:27 > 0:15:29outside a children's clothing shop.
0:15:31 > 0:15:34Shortly after, a Spanish tourist took this photo,
0:15:34 > 0:15:37standing right in front of the car.
0:15:37 > 0:15:40Moments later, with the street heaving with shoppers...
0:15:40 > 0:15:42EXPLOSION
0:15:42 > 0:15:43..the car exploded.
0:15:47 > 0:15:51The news of the devastating attack reverberated around the world.
0:15:55 > 0:15:58As many as 12 people are thought to have been killed
0:15:58 > 0:16:01in a serious bomb attack at Omagh in Northern Ireland.
0:16:01 > 0:16:04The bomb exploded at about 3:10pm this afternoon.
0:16:04 > 0:16:07Emergency services talk of battlefield conditions,
0:16:07 > 0:16:09as they fought to save the wounded.
0:16:09 > 0:16:11Aidan was just metres away.
0:16:11 > 0:16:15He, along with 28 others, were killed in the blast.
0:16:15 > 0:16:17There are reports that the police moved people
0:16:17 > 0:16:20after hearing a bomb warning, but there are some reports
0:16:20 > 0:16:23that in fact people were moved to the wrong spot
0:16:23 > 0:16:26and they took the full force of the explosion.
0:16:26 > 0:16:27A dissident republican group
0:16:27 > 0:16:30is believed to have been responsibility...
0:16:30 > 0:16:32It's a scene of just devastation.
0:16:32 > 0:16:34The single worst act of terrorism
0:16:34 > 0:16:37in Northern Ireland's 30 years of violence.
0:16:48 > 0:16:52- This is the exact spot where the bomb went off.- Yeah, it is.
0:16:52 > 0:16:55And the street was much narrower at that time,
0:16:55 > 0:16:58and, you know, the funnel effect of the bomb was greater.
0:16:58 > 0:17:00The bomb just came straight through...
0:17:00 > 0:17:03The car came straight the junction, and parked here.
0:17:03 > 0:17:05And at that time, this used to be
0:17:05 > 0:17:09a children's outfitters, school outfitters,
0:17:09 > 0:17:12so that's why there were so many women and children in this shop.
0:17:12 > 0:17:13Quite horrendous.
0:17:18 > 0:17:21The fact that it was misleading warnings on the day of the bomb,
0:17:21 > 0:17:23and the actual target that police had believed
0:17:23 > 0:17:25was at the top of the town,
0:17:25 > 0:17:28so everybody was shepherded, literally, as a safe area,
0:17:28 > 0:17:29on top of the bomb car.
0:17:29 > 0:17:30So that made it even...
0:17:30 > 0:17:33That's why they were so many fatalities on the day.
0:17:33 > 0:17:36- And you came down here straight afterwards.- Yeah.
0:17:36 > 0:17:39It was... It was just... Really, it was carnage.
0:17:45 > 0:17:46What was going through your mind?
0:17:46 > 0:17:49Hoping that Aidan wouldn't be in this.
0:17:49 > 0:17:51But it wasn't until much later
0:17:51 > 0:17:55when we, you know, had exhausted all the wards in the hospital,
0:17:55 > 0:18:00and then it was quite late, it was about 2:30 in the morning,
0:18:00 > 0:18:05when we realised that Aidan had died in the bomb,
0:18:05 > 0:18:08which was...very, very difficult,
0:18:08 > 0:18:11And this exact spot, some of the families - even today -
0:18:11 > 0:18:16don't come here because it's... it's got so many bad memories.
0:18:20 > 0:18:24Like, straight after the bomb, you know, driving through,
0:18:24 > 0:18:27you felt like it was holy ground and you just...
0:18:27 > 0:18:29You felt like you...
0:18:29 > 0:18:32We couldn't come into the town for years after.
0:18:32 > 0:18:34And then, one day, I just decided, I said,
0:18:34 > 0:18:37"I'm not going to let this overcome my whole life,
0:18:37 > 0:18:39"and I have to kind of deal with it."
0:18:39 > 0:18:42So I just came here, and it was really unmomentous,
0:18:42 > 0:18:46but the next day, you know, I felt better for coming
0:18:46 > 0:18:48and, you know, I was able to carry on.
0:18:48 > 0:18:51But it still brings you back, when you're standing here.
0:18:51 > 0:18:54- It's a nice tribute, though, isn't it?- It's a beautiful tribute.
0:18:57 > 0:19:00Coming back to places that remind them of Aidan
0:19:00 > 0:19:02and the awful day is painful.
0:19:02 > 0:19:05But it's also a reminder of how the family has found the strength
0:19:05 > 0:19:09to go on and reinforced their desire to give back.
0:19:13 > 0:19:15But who can Michael and Cat help?
0:19:15 > 0:19:19We introduced them to a girl caught up in a much more recent ordeal.
0:19:19 > 0:19:22GUNFIRE, PANICKED SHOUTING
0:19:23 > 0:19:25The whole time, it was just screaming.
0:19:25 > 0:19:28I was just, like, curled up, like, not knowing what to do.
0:19:28 > 0:19:29I was just being quiet.
0:19:37 > 0:19:39But before the Gallaghers meet
0:19:39 > 0:19:42the deserving recipient of their kindness,
0:19:42 > 0:19:44they're keen to show me something.
0:19:44 > 0:19:46The Omagh bomb caused shock waves around the world.
0:19:46 > 0:19:49Thousands of people shared in Michael and Cat's grief
0:19:49 > 0:19:53and wrote letters of support that have been meticulously catalogued
0:19:53 > 0:19:54here at the Omagh Library.
0:19:56 > 0:19:59It's another reminder to the Gallaghers of the love and support
0:19:59 > 0:20:02they received through the tragedy.
0:20:02 > 0:20:04So when was the last time you were in here?
0:20:04 > 0:20:09- Oh, I came in here at the...the tenth anniversary.- Right.- Yeah.
0:20:09 > 0:20:11- It's an important place, this, isn't it?- It is.
0:20:11 > 0:20:14This is the Omagh bomb archive - that's right, isn't it?
0:20:14 > 0:20:16That's right. It is, it is, yeah.
0:20:16 > 0:20:19- It's over 800 books of condolence. - Mm-hm.
0:20:19 > 0:20:23Sympathy cards, e-mails galore, mass cards, letters.
0:20:23 > 0:20:25Everything has been kept, hasn't it?
0:20:25 > 0:20:27Things like, you know, "To the children of Omagh,
0:20:27 > 0:20:29"we lit candles for your mummy, wept for you,
0:20:29 > 0:20:32"and we wish we could hug you and make the pain go away."
0:20:32 > 0:20:35- That's from a girl who's five years old.- Yeah.- Yeah.
0:20:39 > 0:20:42It's a tremendous outpouring of support.
0:20:42 > 0:20:46This is the thing that helped us get out of bed in the morning,
0:20:46 > 0:20:49when you see children that have thought about us
0:20:49 > 0:20:50that first Christmas.
0:20:53 > 0:20:56The loss of 29 people, nine of whom were children,
0:20:56 > 0:20:57moved people everywhere.
0:20:58 > 0:21:01It was really difficult, obviously, like, at the time,
0:21:01 > 0:21:03to even look at these.
0:21:03 > 0:21:07But having these now to come back and read over yourself and...
0:21:07 > 0:21:09I mean, you do grieve along when you read some of the...
0:21:09 > 0:21:11It brings you back to the time.
0:21:11 > 0:21:13But you're just so grateful that these people sent it.
0:21:13 > 0:21:16You feel like you want to send them a personal thank you card now,
0:21:16 > 0:21:19you know, to say that yous did make such an impact at that time.
0:21:19 > 0:21:21And in a way, I suppose you both are,
0:21:21 > 0:21:24cos you're now wanting to give something back to somebody else.
0:21:24 > 0:21:27- That's right.- Yeah, absolutely.
0:21:27 > 0:21:30We know, when these things happen, how you feel.
0:21:31 > 0:21:34Today has helped Cat and Michael reflect on
0:21:34 > 0:21:37the person they'd now like to give back to.
0:21:37 > 0:21:40And what sort of person do you think that you'd like to help now?
0:21:40 > 0:21:44Well, we'd like to help someone, obviously,
0:21:44 > 0:21:46that's been through something similar as ourselves.
0:21:46 > 0:21:49That we feel that we can let them know,
0:21:49 > 0:21:50the way these people let us know,
0:21:50 > 0:21:53that there is light, as Michael said, at the end of the tunnel.
0:21:53 > 0:21:55That you will get through it, it will be difficult,
0:21:55 > 0:21:59but we're here to help you along your journey and to hold your hand.
0:22:02 > 0:22:04This overwhelming display of love and support
0:22:04 > 0:22:08from strangers across the globe has really touched Michael and Cat,
0:22:08 > 0:22:11helping them through their grief in the months after the bomb.
0:22:18 > 0:22:21I don't think I've met two more courageous people in my life.
0:22:21 > 0:22:24Michael and Cat are extraordinary.
0:22:24 > 0:22:26What they went through almost 20 years ago,
0:22:26 > 0:22:30and what they're still going through to this day, is just unimaginable.
0:22:30 > 0:22:34A beloved father and loving sister's world changing forever
0:22:34 > 0:22:37that moment Aidan was cruelly taken from them.
0:22:37 > 0:22:39What a void it's left in their life.
0:22:39 > 0:22:42Yet their strength just shines through.
0:22:42 > 0:22:45They've taken such comfort in supporting others over the years,
0:22:45 > 0:22:48and now they want to give back to someone personally,
0:22:48 > 0:22:52and we think we've found someone who would really benefit from the help.
0:22:54 > 0:22:58We want to introduce Michael and Cat to 17-year-old Millie Twells.
0:22:58 > 0:23:00She lives in Ilkeston in Derbyshire.
0:23:00 > 0:23:02with her mum, Zoe, and stepdad, Paul.
0:23:02 > 0:23:06On the face of it, she's a regular teenager, studying for her A-levels,
0:23:06 > 0:23:08hoping to go to university.
0:23:14 > 0:23:16But nearly two years ago, when she was just 15,
0:23:16 > 0:23:19Millie endured a most horrific ordeal
0:23:19 > 0:23:21which has changed her life forever.
0:23:21 > 0:23:23and has left her dealing with a severe case
0:23:23 > 0:23:26of post-traumatic stress disorder.
0:23:26 > 0:23:28We want to find out more about her journey,
0:23:28 > 0:23:30so we're very pleased to be here
0:23:30 > 0:23:32and see if there's any support we can offer.
0:23:32 > 0:23:34Millie thinks we're making a programme
0:23:34 > 0:23:37about people profoundly affected by tragic events.
0:23:40 > 0:23:42- Hello, Millie.- Hiya. - It's lovely to meet you.
0:23:42 > 0:23:45- Nice to meet you. - Millie, how are you?
0:23:45 > 0:23:46She has absolutely no idea that
0:23:46 > 0:23:49she could be up for a potentially life-changing gift.
0:23:49 > 0:23:52And while Cat and Michael get to know her,
0:23:52 > 0:23:54I'm meeting her mum, Zoe, in a nearby cafe.
0:23:57 > 0:24:01My brother, Aidan, was killed in the Omagh bomb, he was 21,
0:24:01 > 0:24:04and it was very painful for us as a family,
0:24:04 > 0:24:08and it was very difficult to really pick up the pieces after Aidan died.
0:24:08 > 0:24:10But yourself, it was a different story,
0:24:10 > 0:24:15so maybe if you could tell me a wee bit about what happened, you know,
0:24:15 > 0:24:16and your experience.
0:24:16 > 0:24:19Yeah. We went on holiday to Tunisia,
0:24:19 > 0:24:22and I think it was the 24th that we got there, on the Wednesday,
0:24:22 > 0:24:25and it was so lovely, everyone was so nice.
0:24:25 > 0:24:28It was just normal, like, happy, like, atmosphere.
0:24:28 > 0:24:31And then on Friday morning, just went for a walk down the beach...
0:24:33 > 0:24:36..and all of a sudden we heard this, like...
0:24:36 > 0:24:39I thought it was fireworks, I didn't know what it was.
0:24:39 > 0:24:41I looked at Paul, and, like, he looked at me
0:24:41 > 0:24:43and we was both, like, quite confused.
0:24:43 > 0:24:45GUNFIRE
0:24:45 > 0:24:48Moments later, it was clear to Millie, and her stepdad, Paul,
0:24:48 > 0:24:51who were now by the pool, the noise wasn't fireworks...
0:24:51 > 0:24:52but gunshots.
0:24:52 > 0:24:54GUNFIRE
0:24:54 > 0:24:56A lone terrorist from so-called Islamic State
0:24:56 > 0:24:59had come to the resort fully armed,
0:24:59 > 0:25:03intent on taking as many lives of Western tourists as possible.
0:25:03 > 0:25:06INDISTINCT SPEECH
0:25:06 > 0:25:08And so many people started screaming and running.
0:25:08 > 0:25:11And then, before I knew it, I was away from Paul, I couldn't find him,
0:25:11 > 0:25:14so I was, like, screaming for him, trying to find him.
0:25:14 > 0:25:16PANICKED SHOUTING
0:25:16 > 0:25:19Millie's mum, Zoe, was about 50 yards away
0:25:19 > 0:25:22from Millie and her stepdad, Paul, when the gunfire started.
0:25:22 > 0:25:24People were running up from the beach
0:25:24 > 0:25:27and, obviously, you heard screams, so then I kind of thought,
0:25:27 > 0:25:29"I've got to get myself out of here.
0:25:29 > 0:25:31"Millie's with Paul - he'll take care of her."
0:25:33 > 0:25:37Unable to see her daughter, Zoe was forced to run to save her life.
0:25:37 > 0:25:40I went into one side of the hotel.
0:25:40 > 0:25:43Somebody fell at the side of me as I was running up the stairs.
0:25:45 > 0:25:49I made it into the hotel, ran to the lobby,
0:25:49 > 0:25:53and then realised that I was on my own and I didn't know what to do.
0:25:53 > 0:25:57And then it was kind of like the gunfire's inside the hotel now,
0:25:57 > 0:25:58and I heard this big shatter.
0:25:58 > 0:26:00- So it was following you? - Mm-hm, yeah.
0:26:03 > 0:26:04And then the gift shop door opened.
0:26:04 > 0:26:07There was a gift shop at the front of the hotel.
0:26:07 > 0:26:10And this hand came out and went, "Come, come."
0:26:10 > 0:26:12And I realised that, obviously, it wasn't English,
0:26:12 > 0:26:15and I didn't know whether it was safe...or whatever.
0:26:15 > 0:26:17But then I thought, "If I stay here...I'm dead."
0:26:17 > 0:26:19You'll get shot, yeah.
0:26:19 > 0:26:21So I went into the gift shop.
0:26:21 > 0:26:24How were you feeling, though? You must have been petrified.
0:26:24 > 0:26:27Yeah. And I just kept thinking...
0:26:27 > 0:26:29just praying that Millie's with Paul.
0:26:29 > 0:26:32And that's all you can do at that point.
0:26:32 > 0:26:33PANICKED SHOUTING
0:26:33 > 0:26:37But Millie had lost her stepdad when the gunman first started firing.
0:26:37 > 0:26:39While Zoe was hiding in the gift shop,
0:26:39 > 0:26:42Millie had run terrified into the hotel lobby.
0:26:42 > 0:26:44She, along with another woman, were directed
0:26:44 > 0:26:48to the first-floor admin area by one of the hotel staff.
0:26:48 > 0:26:51But that's exactly where the gunman was headed.
0:26:53 > 0:26:55We stopped hearing the gunfire, and we heard his footsteps,
0:26:55 > 0:26:58so we knew we wouldn't be safe there, so we had to move.
0:26:58 > 0:27:01And we ended up in just, like, an office area down the corridor.
0:27:03 > 0:27:06And that's when, like, he came up and started shooting.
0:27:07 > 0:27:10A few people got killed up there.
0:27:10 > 0:27:13The whole time, it was just screaming all up the corridor,
0:27:13 > 0:27:14no-one knew what to do.
0:27:14 > 0:27:18I was just like, curled up, like, not knowing what to do.
0:27:18 > 0:27:19I was just being quiet.
0:27:21 > 0:27:24Millie lay on the ground, shielded by a fellow tourist,
0:27:24 > 0:27:28motionless in a room with about 15 others, including some local people.
0:27:29 > 0:27:32The terrorist was in the corridor, just outside.
0:27:33 > 0:27:36The gunman, he came and knocked on my door.
0:27:38 > 0:27:40And this Tunisian women, she said,
0:27:40 > 0:27:42"There's only Tunisians here, leave us alone,"
0:27:42 > 0:27:44and he just laughed and he went, he just left.
0:27:44 > 0:27:46And the whole time, people were just screaming outside,
0:27:46 > 0:27:49I wanted go and help them.
0:27:49 > 0:27:51Millie hid in a room for over an hour,
0:27:51 > 0:27:55not knowing if she would die, or if her mum and stepdad were alive.
0:27:55 > 0:27:59While she was hiding, Zoe was told it was safe to come out.
0:27:59 > 0:28:01The gunman had been killed.
0:28:02 > 0:28:05I saw the first body on the steps, and I was just like,
0:28:05 > 0:28:08"I can't... I can't go out there and find her. I can't."
0:28:08 > 0:28:12- No. Cos you were scared of what you might find?- Yeah.
0:28:12 > 0:28:14So I came back in, not knowing what to do,
0:28:14 > 0:28:16and then eventually, I saw Paul.
0:28:18 > 0:28:21And then it was... He's not got her.
0:28:21 > 0:28:22Oh, my God.
0:28:22 > 0:28:26So I'd kind of kept it together, and then all of a sudden, I lost it.
0:28:26 > 0:28:29And he said to me, "I've been out there
0:28:29 > 0:28:31"and checked so many bodies, Zoe, and she's not there.
0:28:32 > 0:28:34- "But I will go again."- Right.
0:28:34 > 0:28:37God, what an awful thing for him to have to do, as well.
0:28:37 > 0:28:39Paul went for another look.
0:28:39 > 0:28:40While he was searching for her,
0:28:40 > 0:28:43Millie was told it was safe to come out.
0:28:43 > 0:28:47She asked one of the women she'd been hiding with to accompany her.
0:28:47 > 0:28:50I asked to stay with someone that was, like, reassuring me.
0:28:50 > 0:28:52I was like, "Will you stay with me if my mum's not OK?"
0:28:52 > 0:28:55I didn't know what to do. I hadn't got anyone.
0:28:55 > 0:28:57- Millie came out... - HE EXHALES DEEPLY
0:28:57 > 0:29:00..from behind reception, holding this woman's hand.
0:29:01 > 0:29:03And then, it was...
0:29:03 > 0:29:04.."Oh, my God!"
0:29:04 > 0:29:06Just... You know, I just grabbed hold of her
0:29:06 > 0:29:09and just wouldn't let go, and she just said to me, "Can we go home?"
0:29:09 > 0:29:11- Is that what she said?- Yeah.
0:29:11 > 0:29:14She just whispered in my ear, "Can we go home?" "Yes, babe."
0:29:14 > 0:29:16- Yeah, straight away. - "Of course we can." Yeah.
0:29:16 > 0:29:20Millie, Zoe and stepdad Paul were finally all reunited,
0:29:20 > 0:29:25but Millie is now haunted by survivor's guilt and PTSD.
0:29:25 > 0:29:27And how was your daughter?
0:29:29 > 0:29:30- In severe shock.- Right.
0:29:30 > 0:29:32Cos she was 15, wasn't she?
0:29:32 > 0:29:36Yeah. Yeah, she was only 15. She'd prepared herself to die.
0:29:36 > 0:29:38When he was outside the room, he killed two people
0:29:38 > 0:29:41outside of her room, a third one just further down the corridor,
0:29:41 > 0:29:43injured several people.
0:29:43 > 0:29:44But, yeah, she told me.
0:29:44 > 0:29:46- Really, that she thought she was going to die?- Yeah.
0:29:46 > 0:29:48She says, "I just kept telling myself,
0:29:48 > 0:29:51" 'It's not going to hurt. It'll be quick.' "
0:29:51 > 0:29:54Until this point, Millie had always been a happy-go-lucky girl.
0:29:54 > 0:29:57Popular and outgoing, she was always on the go,
0:29:57 > 0:30:01taking part in gym club, athletics, theatre groups.
0:30:01 > 0:30:05But that was the Millie before the Tunisian terror attack.
0:30:05 > 0:30:07- Teenagers have enough to go through...- Yeah, Yeah.
0:30:07 > 0:30:10..you know, without something as traumatic as this.
0:30:10 > 0:30:14- It's just... It's just not fair. - Yeah.- You know.
0:30:14 > 0:30:18- Has it ruined her life? - I don't think she'll let it.- Right.
0:30:18 > 0:30:22So, you know, at some low points, obviously, she thinks,
0:30:22 > 0:30:25"He's ruined my life," and "I'm never going to get over this."
0:30:25 > 0:30:29But then she gets a little bit better, and then she'll say,
0:30:29 > 0:30:31"I'm not going to let him do this to me, you know...
0:30:31 > 0:30:34"38 people didn't make it that day, you know,
0:30:34 > 0:30:37- "I'm lucky enough to still be here." - Mm-hm.
0:30:37 > 0:30:39It must also break your heart, as her mother,
0:30:39 > 0:30:41watching her go through it.
0:30:41 > 0:30:45It does, it's awful. It's absolutely awful.
0:30:45 > 0:30:48Zoe is aware that Millie is meeting Cat and Michael,
0:30:48 > 0:30:50and knows about the support work they've done
0:30:50 > 0:30:53since they lost Aidan in the Omagh bomb.
0:30:53 > 0:30:56It's time to see if Zoe thinks Millie could benefit from some help
0:30:56 > 0:30:58and to let her in on our secret.
0:30:58 > 0:31:00Will she think it's a good idea?
0:31:01 > 0:31:03Listen, she thinks we're making
0:31:03 > 0:31:06a programme about terrorism, of course.
0:31:06 > 0:31:07It's not the full story.
0:31:07 > 0:31:10Michael and Cat want to give Millie a gift.
0:31:10 > 0:31:11How do you feel about that?
0:31:13 > 0:31:15I think it's wonderful. I really do.
0:31:15 > 0:31:17I think it's amazing that they want to do that.
0:31:17 > 0:31:20- Will she be surprised? - Yes. I think she will, yeah.
0:31:20 > 0:31:22Well, listen, you've got to keep the secret.
0:31:22 > 0:31:25- Promise?- Absolutely. Promise. - I think I can trust you.
0:31:25 > 0:31:28- I can't wait to see the look on her face.- I know.
0:31:28 > 0:31:31It's impossible to imagine what Millie, her family
0:31:31 > 0:31:34and the other people who were there in Tunisia have been through.
0:31:36 > 0:31:38Speaking to Zoe, I really believe Millie could benefit
0:31:38 > 0:31:40from Michael and Cat's help.
0:31:40 > 0:31:43But to give her a gift that will be life-changing,
0:31:43 > 0:31:46they need to work out what would help Millie the most
0:31:46 > 0:31:49by learning how she's coping and what support she's getting.
0:31:49 > 0:31:52Millie, I'm just wondering,
0:31:52 > 0:31:54you know, how do you feel now?
0:31:54 > 0:31:57Some days are harder than others,
0:31:57 > 0:32:00with just things on the news and things that you hear and staff,
0:32:00 > 0:32:02it sometimes, like, takes you back and...
0:32:02 > 0:32:03makes you have a bit of a setback.
0:32:03 > 0:32:06I still have to think about places where I can go.
0:32:06 > 0:32:10Like, it kind of ruins your everyday life
0:32:10 > 0:32:12and, like, stops you from doing certain things
0:32:12 > 0:32:14that you might have done before.
0:32:14 > 0:32:16You know, I had the same feelings.
0:32:16 > 0:32:19I remember, after Omagh, I couldn't go on
0:32:19 > 0:32:21any street there was parked cars in.
0:32:21 > 0:32:25You go through a whole range of emotions, you know.
0:32:25 > 0:32:27You know, you ask, "Why was it me?"
0:32:27 > 0:32:31- The survivor's guilt as well. - That was a massive one for me.
0:32:31 > 0:32:33Yeah, I'm sure.
0:32:33 > 0:32:35Because...I hate him, not because of me,
0:32:35 > 0:32:37but because of the people that I saw that got killed,
0:32:37 > 0:32:39like, their family.
0:32:40 > 0:32:42Millie and witnessed the lives lost
0:32:42 > 0:32:45and the heartbreak of surviving family members.
0:32:45 > 0:32:48Father and daughter Michael and Cat have a unique understanding
0:32:48 > 0:32:51of what Millie is going through, and how difficult recovery is.
0:32:51 > 0:32:54Are you getting any help for trauma, or anything like that?
0:32:54 > 0:32:56I'm doing reliving therapy at the minute.
0:32:56 > 0:32:59- That's kind of helped me as closure, kind of.- Yeah.
0:32:59 > 0:33:01I think what we found was,
0:33:01 > 0:33:05coming together with other families who had suffered, because we...
0:33:05 > 0:33:07we could understand each other.
0:33:07 > 0:33:10Cat and Michael received a lot of support in Omagh
0:33:10 > 0:33:13from families who also lost loved ones in the bombing.
0:33:13 > 0:33:16For them, this was the single most important thing
0:33:16 > 0:33:18in helping with their grief.
0:33:18 > 0:33:20So much so, it's led to them arranging charity trips
0:33:20 > 0:33:23to New York for people affected by terrorism
0:33:23 > 0:33:26for them to take part in a week-long programme
0:33:26 > 0:33:29where they get together with other victims of conflict.
0:33:29 > 0:33:32Cat wants to know what else might be helping Millie.
0:33:33 > 0:33:35So, Millie, outside of school,
0:33:35 > 0:33:37is there any other interests that you have,
0:33:37 > 0:33:40anything that's helped you to deal with your anxieties and any issues?
0:33:40 > 0:33:43Yeah, I have... I created a blog. It takes my mind off everything.
0:33:43 > 0:33:44- Right.- It really helps me.
0:33:44 > 0:33:46And what's the blog about?
0:33:46 > 0:33:48It's about beauty and fashion,
0:33:48 > 0:33:51but anxiety as well and, like, lifestyle things.
0:33:51 > 0:33:53And so has that helped you maybe to
0:33:53 > 0:33:56- put your energy into something different, then?- Yeah.
0:33:56 > 0:33:59And I like to think that maybe one person might get help from it,
0:33:59 > 0:34:02like, my anxiety personal stuff. If I can help one person, then...
0:34:02 > 0:34:04Maybe you can give us some make-up tips.
0:34:04 > 0:34:07- What do you think, Michael? - Absolutely. I need them.
0:34:09 > 0:34:11Oh, that's great. I'll have to check it out.
0:34:11 > 0:34:13Cat and Michael are encouraged
0:34:13 > 0:34:16by Millie's interest in writing and fashion,
0:34:16 > 0:34:17giving her an outlet,
0:34:17 > 0:34:21an escapism from re-living her Tunisian nightmare.
0:34:21 > 0:34:24But, you know, just listening to what you've said,
0:34:24 > 0:34:28I think that you've dealt with it in a very positive way.
0:34:28 > 0:34:31Learning how Millie has witnessed immense horror,
0:34:31 > 0:34:35whilst believing her own life was about to end at just 15 years old,
0:34:35 > 0:34:38has made a powerful impression on Cat and Michael.
0:34:38 > 0:34:40- All right, Millie, bye. - Nice meeting you.- All right, bye.
0:34:41 > 0:34:43- Thank you, Millie.- Bye.- Bye.
0:34:44 > 0:34:45- Bye.- Bye.
0:34:49 > 0:34:52- Well, that was really nice, wasn't it?- Mm-hm.
0:34:52 > 0:34:56Yeah, she's so brave, and to be able to tell her story so openly,
0:34:56 > 0:34:58you know, and it's a big deal
0:34:58 > 0:35:01to actually hear yourself say the words, that, you know what,
0:35:01 > 0:35:04she's suffered, what she's seen, and I think it's amazing.
0:35:14 > 0:35:17It's been a couple of weeks since I saw Cat and Michael.
0:35:17 > 0:35:19I can't wait to catch up with them
0:35:19 > 0:35:20and hear how they got on with Millie.
0:35:20 > 0:35:22From my meeting with mum Zoe,
0:35:22 > 0:35:25I imagine they've been really touched by her story.
0:35:25 > 0:35:28But has it helped with the decision? Let's go and find out.
0:35:30 > 0:35:33I'm meeting Michael and Cat very close to Millie's sixth form.
0:35:34 > 0:35:38I'm really excited to hear what they're planning to do.
0:35:38 > 0:35:40Great to catch up with both of you again.
0:35:40 > 0:35:43I know that you've also met Millie. How did it go?
0:35:43 > 0:35:45Yeah, it went really well.
0:35:45 > 0:35:46Millie was very open,
0:35:46 > 0:35:49she was able to talk to us and tell us about her experience.
0:35:49 > 0:35:51- She's been very brave, hasn't she? - Absolutely.
0:35:51 > 0:35:53You know, I was sort of hesitant
0:35:53 > 0:35:56because when someone has went through that experience so recently,
0:35:56 > 0:35:58you didn't know, really, where they were.
0:35:58 > 0:36:00Did it bring back, for you,
0:36:00 > 0:36:02what's happened to you as well, a little bit?
0:36:02 > 0:36:03It does, yeah, definitely.
0:36:03 > 0:36:05You share the same feelings and emotions she went through.
0:36:05 > 0:36:08- And she's definitely not out of the woods just yet.- No, no.
0:36:08 > 0:36:11Well, that's always the thing - people, maybe on the outside,
0:36:11 > 0:36:13look like they're OK, they're coping, they're managing,
0:36:13 > 0:36:15they're getting their studies done,
0:36:15 > 0:36:17but sometimes you have to actually deal with the pain,
0:36:17 > 0:36:20and we hope that we're able to help her in some way with that.
0:36:20 > 0:36:22Do you think you will be able to help her?
0:36:22 > 0:36:24Yeah, we're hoping to.
0:36:24 > 0:36:29We have decided to take Millie on a trip to New York.
0:36:29 > 0:36:30- Wow!- Yeah.
0:36:30 > 0:36:33It's a great opportunity to meet victims of terrorism
0:36:33 > 0:36:35from all over the world.
0:36:35 > 0:36:37So why do you think this trip will help her?
0:36:37 > 0:36:39Well, the trip is about bonding,
0:36:39 > 0:36:43it's about dealing with the pain but dealing with it with peers.
0:36:43 > 0:36:46I think it's important for her is to sit down with somebody her own age
0:36:46 > 0:36:48and have them discussions and talks.
0:36:48 > 0:36:51But then also to see, like, a fun side of it.
0:36:51 > 0:36:53It's really a journey she'll be going through
0:36:53 > 0:36:54when she goes to New York.
0:36:54 > 0:36:56The young people that we have sent in the past
0:36:56 > 0:37:00have never, ever forgotten that trip - and probably never will.
0:37:00 > 0:37:02And you think that will help her on her journey to...
0:37:02 > 0:37:04- Yeah.- ..move on with life?
0:37:04 > 0:37:07Absolutely, because what we have found is
0:37:07 > 0:37:11you get your strength mainly from other victims.
0:37:11 > 0:37:14How brilliant. That's an amazing gift.
0:37:14 > 0:37:16This is a trip Michael and Cat have offered
0:37:16 > 0:37:18through their Omagh Support And Self-help Group,
0:37:18 > 0:37:21and the New York charity Strength To Strength.
0:37:21 > 0:37:23But they want to go one step further for Millie
0:37:23 > 0:37:25and give a very personal gift, too.
0:37:25 > 0:37:28Obviously her self-esteem and her confidence
0:37:28 > 0:37:30had declined after the attack,
0:37:30 > 0:37:33and we know that she has her make-up blogs,
0:37:33 > 0:37:39and we were looking at maybe sending her to a private one-day tuition.
0:37:39 > 0:37:40Oh, wow, OK.
0:37:40 > 0:37:42So, yeah, we're hoping that she'll get some skills
0:37:42 > 0:37:45and then be able to give back through her blog.
0:37:45 > 0:37:47You're being incredibly generous.
0:37:47 > 0:37:50This is just a small token of what we would like to give back,
0:37:50 > 0:37:53and we've been helped, so we want to help others.
0:37:53 > 0:37:55And maybe in another number of years,
0:37:55 > 0:37:57Millie will be able to reach back to others as well.
0:37:57 > 0:38:00It's an amazing gift. I can't begin to thank you.
0:38:00 > 0:38:03- Have you put all your thoughts down in a letter?- Yeah, yeah.
0:38:03 > 0:38:05- So I suppose it's time to surprise her.- Yeah.
0:38:05 > 0:38:07- How do you think she'll react? - Oh, I don't know.
0:38:07 > 0:38:11- She'll be excited, anyway, I'm sure. - Yeah, yeah. Hope so.
0:38:11 > 0:38:14She's at school at the moment, so I think no time like the present.
0:38:14 > 0:38:18- Shall we go for it?- Yeah. - Come on, let's go.- Great.
0:38:18 > 0:38:21What a journey it's been for Cat and Michael,
0:38:21 > 0:38:24but now is the moment that will make it all worth it -
0:38:24 > 0:38:26telling Millie what we've really been up to
0:38:26 > 0:38:29and presenting her with a gift that will hopefully help
0:38:29 > 0:38:31get her life back on track.
0:38:31 > 0:38:34We've come to her school to interrupt her media class.
0:38:35 > 0:38:37Look at that - bang on time. She's here.
0:38:37 > 0:38:39- How are you?- Hiya.- Nice to see you. - You too.
0:38:39 > 0:38:43'Joining us in the big surprise is Millie's mum, Zoe.'
0:38:43 > 0:38:45- Are we ready to do this?- Yes.
0:38:46 > 0:38:50- So she's got... She's in a media studies lesson?- She is, yes.
0:38:50 > 0:38:52- With her mates?- Yeah.- Oh, my gosh.
0:38:52 > 0:38:55- This is going to be interesting. - I know.
0:38:55 > 0:38:57- Hi, Millie.- Hi. - How are you?- Good. Are you?
0:38:57 > 0:39:01- I'm not bad. I'm Aled, from the BBC. Nice to meet you.- Hi.
0:39:01 > 0:39:03Now, listen, you thought we were making a programme
0:39:03 > 0:39:06about victims of terrorism.
0:39:06 > 0:39:08It's not the full story, is it?
0:39:08 > 0:39:11- You know these two.- Yeah.- Hi.- Hi.
0:39:11 > 0:39:13Yeah, your story has been inspiring to us,
0:39:13 > 0:39:16so we have this letter, Millie, for you,
0:39:16 > 0:39:18and we'd just like you to read it.
0:39:18 > 0:39:20- If you can read it out loud, if you don't mind.- OK.
0:39:27 > 0:39:30"Dear Millie, thank you so much for sharing your story with us.
0:39:30 > 0:39:32"We're sure it was extremely painful for you to return
0:39:32 > 0:39:34"to the horror of that day.
0:39:34 > 0:39:36"Listening to how you have been able to rebuild your life
0:39:36 > 0:39:39"and focus your energy on a more positive direction
0:39:39 > 0:39:41"is courageous and inspirational.
0:39:41 > 0:39:44"We also have suffered and feel compelled to reach out,
0:39:44 > 0:39:47"and, in some ways, offer some comfort and support.
0:39:47 > 0:39:49"We would love to invite you to participate in
0:39:49 > 0:39:52"Young Ambassador programme in New York City."
0:39:53 > 0:39:54What?
0:39:54 > 0:39:56You're going to New York.
0:39:56 > 0:39:58- Are you being serious?- Yeah!
0:39:59 > 0:40:02- What? Do you want me to carry on reading?- Yeah, go on.
0:40:02 > 0:40:04LAUGHTER
0:40:04 > 0:40:07"It will enable you to bond with other victims of terrorism
0:40:07 > 0:40:09"and survivors while visiting the city.
0:40:09 > 0:40:12"We would also like to help you regain some of your confidence
0:40:12 > 0:40:15"and self-esteem, which was lost on that terrible day.
0:40:15 > 0:40:18"We would like to treat you to a one-on-one masterclass
0:40:18 > 0:40:21"in make-up art...artistry.
0:40:21 > 0:40:24"We hope the skills you will learn will help you and others
0:40:24 > 0:40:25"through your blog you're writing.
0:40:25 > 0:40:27"We are privileged to have met you
0:40:27 > 0:40:31"and to send you every best wish for your future."
0:40:31 > 0:40:32Aww!
0:40:32 > 0:40:35- How do you feel? - I don't what to say.
0:40:39 > 0:40:42So go on, then, how do you feel about that - a trip to New York?
0:40:42 > 0:40:45- I don't know what to say. - It's going to be amazing.- Yeah.
0:40:45 > 0:40:47I think the whole trip sounds just amazing.
0:40:47 > 0:40:51Yeah, she'll meet kids from Israel, from Colombia, from New York,
0:40:51 > 0:40:54and you'll be able to have a wonderful time.
0:40:54 > 0:40:56It's the most amazing week you'll have of your life.
0:40:56 > 0:40:58You'll meet the, what, Chief of Police as well?
0:40:58 > 0:41:00Yeah, the Chief of Police, you go on the Hudson River,
0:41:00 > 0:41:02you go to Ellis Island.
0:41:02 > 0:41:04You do everything that a tourist can do, but better,
0:41:04 > 0:41:06because with a real New Yorker that knows the sights
0:41:06 > 0:41:09and the back streets, so, yeah.
0:41:10 > 0:41:13- Thank you. - And what about the make-up day?
0:41:13 > 0:41:15The make-up artist that we've arranged for you
0:41:15 > 0:41:16has worked with Lady Gaga.
0:41:16 > 0:41:18She's been on tour with her and Selena Gomez,
0:41:18 > 0:41:21and a few other celebrities, so she's well renowned,
0:41:21 > 0:41:23so we're delighted that you're able to go to her as well.
0:41:23 > 0:41:26- Thank you so much.- You're grand. - Oh, that's amazing.
0:41:26 > 0:41:29- I wish had that make-up artist. - You don't need the make-up.
0:41:29 > 0:41:31Oh, thank you very much. Yeah, that was the right thing to say.
0:41:31 > 0:41:34What you've gone through has been incredible,
0:41:34 > 0:41:36and the journey that you've made, and it's going to be amazing.
0:41:36 > 0:41:38- Will you send us a post card?- Yeah.
0:41:38 > 0:41:40Well, listen, we'll leave you to your class,
0:41:40 > 0:41:42cos we've disrupted your media studies lesson.
0:41:42 > 0:41:45Now you'll know what happens in TV - anyone can do it!
0:41:45 > 0:41:47We'll leave you to it, OK? Nice to meet you.
0:41:47 > 0:41:50- Nice to meet you. - Come on, let's leave them to it.
0:41:50 > 0:41:54INAUDIBLE
0:41:55 > 0:41:56I don't know what to say.
0:41:58 > 0:42:00I was just surprised by the letter.
0:42:00 > 0:42:01When I saw "New York", I was like...
0:42:01 > 0:42:04I didn't believe it. I had a heart attack.
0:42:04 > 0:42:06Cat and Michael are just so inspirational and so lovely.
0:42:06 > 0:42:08I can't believe they'd do something like that for me.
0:42:08 > 0:42:09It really means a lot.
0:42:09 > 0:42:12She's going to love it. It's just so amazing.
0:42:12 > 0:42:15She deserves it so much. She's such an amazing person.
0:42:15 > 0:42:20Millie seems like she's really excited, so we're excited for her.
0:42:20 > 0:42:22Just can't wait, now, to make it happen.
0:42:22 > 0:42:25Absolutely incredible. It really was.
0:42:25 > 0:42:29Her reaction was amazing, and she really, really deserves it.
0:42:29 > 0:42:30Yeah, fantastic.
0:42:30 > 0:42:33People have done so much for us, and that's why we can be here.
0:42:33 > 0:42:38If we didn't have that, you know, that love and support,
0:42:38 > 0:42:41and that's why it is important
0:42:41 > 0:42:45when we get the opportunity of giving that back to others.
0:42:45 > 0:42:48It's a real privilege to be here and to do that.
0:42:56 > 0:42:59Taking Michael and Cat back to August 1998
0:42:59 > 0:43:01and that terrible day that they lost their beloved Aidan
0:43:01 > 0:43:05has been such a moving experience for them and for me.
0:43:05 > 0:43:09I'm in awe of their courage and how they've dealt with such tragedy.
0:43:09 > 0:43:12And now witnessing their positivity and their desire to help Millie
0:43:12 > 0:43:13has been such a privilege.
0:43:13 > 0:43:16She was thrilled by their generous gift,
0:43:16 > 0:43:18and I'm sure it's going to give her a real boost.
0:43:18 > 0:43:22I'm in no doubt that Michael and Cat have done exactly the right thing.