Episode 4 Going Back Giving Back

How often have you watched the news and seen disasters?

-REPORTER:

-The sea rose up 20 feet, flooding the area.

And tragedies?

-REPORTER:

-The bomb exploded at about 3:10 this afternoon.

But what if you were caught up in the events?

GUNFIRE, PANICKED SHOUTING

I've been out there and checked so many bodies, and she's not there.

And now, inspired by your past,

you're on a mission to help someone today.

The support that we had after the fire was so tremendous.

You just want to do something for the people that helped us.

Hopefully, I'll be able to help him to achieve some of his goals.

Someone who has no idea that this life-changing gift is coming.

Oh, my days. Why's there so many people outside?

Hi, Paul.

CHEERING

Thank you so much.

We're here today to surprise somebody very special.

-CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

-Amazing.

This is go Going Back, Giving Back.

It's August, 1998,

a car bomb explodes in the middle of Omagh,

a small town in Northern Ireland.

In just one moment,

a busy shopping street on a Saturday afternoon was transformed

into a scene of carnage and mayhem.

17 years later, a lone gunman goes on a shooting spree

at a holiday beach resort, killing 38 people.

GUNFIRE, PANICKED SHOUTING

Two terror attacks in which 67 people lost their lives.

But can a father and daughter,

who suffered heartbreaking loss in the Omagh bombing,

find a way to help a young girl traumatised by the Tunisian attack?

We know that there's other people going through those dark days,

and to have someone say, "Look, I've been there

"and I've come through this. You can do it, too."

Our story starts here, in County Tyrone,

just outside the town of Omagh.

I'm about to meet Michael Gallagher and his daughter, Cat.

They both had to rebuild their lives after the family was torn apart

in the most devastating way.

-Hi, Aled.

-Hey, how are you? Nice to meet you.

-Lovely to see you.

-Come on and head in.

-Thank you very much.

-Oh, it's nice and warm.

-It is.

Cat, Michael, really lovely to see you.

Thanks so much for meeting me.

It's almost 20 years since the Omagh bomb?

It's getting there, yeah. We're... This year's the 19th year.

August the 15th 1998 was a hot Saturday afternoon.

Cat's brother, Aidan, was 21 years old.

He had the day off and had decided to head into the centre of Omagh

to buy a pair of jeans and some work boots.

It was busy in town, with shoppers running their errands.

Shortly after three, a car packed with 225kg of explosives

was detonated on Market Street,

right in the middle of the busiest area.

A huge amount of devastation and a very large number of casualties.

SIREN BLARES

29 people were killed, and 220 were injured in the blast.

A splinter group, the Real IRA, admitted responsibility.

Aidan Gallagher was just metres from the car...

and died instantly.

How difficult has it been for you just to try and live a normal life?

Well, it's been really difficult because all, like,

the milestones in your life - getting married, having children -

and you just wished Aidan could have been there for those things.

You know, his birthday, he would have been 40 last year,

and that was a milestone for us.

You try and manage it. You never get over it.

But there is, you know, sensitive times and sensitive places

when you go past where we used to work, we used to live,

and places like the church and the graveyard, that sort of thing.

At the time of his death, Aidan was just finding his place in life.

Passionate about cars, he'd studied car body work at Portadown College,

and spent the last two years building the family garage business

with his dad.

The sudden and devastating loss of a loving son and brother

hit the family hard.

But they couldn't lock themselves away and grieve in private.

The horror of the bomb attracted global interest,

and they found themselves on a very public stage.

I think that was the hardest thing for myself to deal with

because I was a very private person.

When you opened your front door and there was BBC, Sky News, ITV...

I mean, it was just unbelievable.

You just felt like your life was in the spotlight

and, I mean, it was really hard to cope with Aidan's death,

but then on top of that, you felt you had to represent yourself.

Two days after Aidan died, Michael was interviewed,

remembering the last time he saw his son.

It was just lovely to remember them last few minutes...

-VOICE BREAKING:

-..that he was standing there,

you know, and he was...

He was just the way you would want him to be.

The difficulty the family had in coming to terms with Aidan's death

has driven Michael and Cat to dedicate their lives

to helping others.

They decided to set up a support group in the aftermath of the bomb,

offering practical and financial help to victims and their families,

as well as raise awareness of the devastating effects of terrorism.

The families wanted to talk to each other.

We were just grieving so badly that you felt

that you were in a comfort zone when you were with each other.

We're here as a support, you know, for them,

as well as helping ourselves, you know.

The benefits of coming together with other families

and the solace it offered them at their darkest time

is what's motivating Cat and Michael to want to give back today.

But how can they take something that's devastated their life

and turn it into something positive?

And what sort of person do you want to help?

We want to, basically, help someone

who has, obviously, been affected by terrorism,

and we particularly want to help people

who have been maybe in a foreign country, come back with no support.

Well, in order for you to give something back,

I think, if it's all right with you, we need to go back first,

so, if it's not too painful, we'll go back to the events

of that fateful Saturday.

Sure. OK. Thank you.

We're going back to Omagh, and that summer's day in August 1998.

But before going into the centre of town to where the bomb went off,

we'll be going back to where Cat and Michael were

when they heard the explosion.

Cat was at the family home with her mum,

while Dad, Michael, was at their garage, working on a car.

-Omagh itself is not a very big place is it?

-No, it's not.

It's only a small community of about 23,000 to 25,000 people, yeah.

So almost everyone in the community has been affected by the bomb.

Right.

What was the community like in the '90s, before the bomb went off?

It wasn't a hot spot for trouble.

And of course, as the '90s progressed,

it became a lot better because of the ceasefire.

After 30 years of sectarian conflict, it was peace at last.

The Good Friday Agreement had been voted for -

there was a sense of optimism and hope.

But what people didn't know was the biggest tragedy was yet to come.

-It was a time of positivity, really, then, wasn't it?

-Yes, it was.

-Up until the bomb, of course.

-Yeah.

Well, we all went out and voted for peace.

The dark days of the '70s, we were thinking, was over,

and we didn't think there would be anything to be fearful of, you know.

The Gallaghers were a happy family.

Cat was studying computing, whilst Aidan was doing what he loved most -

working with cars, alongside Dad, Michael,

at the family garage business.

And what was your relationship like with him?

-Typical brother-sister?

-Well, yeah.

Well, Aidan was 14 months older than me, so we were like Irish twins,

and we went to school together and looked out for each other.

We both had red hair,

so we were both teased all our childhood, you know.

Aidan had a great sense of humour.

You know, he was so funny, and he was so good at his work.

He was so talented, you know, with engines and car repairs.

-All he ever wanted to do was work on cars.

-Right.

He was just, kind of, like, so vibrant,

you know, he'd so much life in him.

It was devastating, you know, that Aidan's life was cut short.

You just never know what Aidan would have become.

Cat and her brother were inseparable.

In and out of each other's bedrooms, squabbling, laughing, teasing.

There are lots of happy memories from the family home,

which looks today just as it did on the day Aidan died, 19 years ago.

-So that was it.

-That's it, yeah.

It's where me and Aidan grew up,

and that was Aidan's bedroom window, to the side there.

I have many memories of Aidan and that house, you know.

-Like what?

-Playing.

Aidan had a few motorbikes, and I remember once he came up...

He was so lazy he wouldn't get off the motorbike.

He drove up to the front door to ring the door bell

and put the wheel through the front door

and broke the pane of glass.

-What did Dad say?

-Yeah, not happy about that.

-Not too pleased.

But, yeah, a lot of good memories.

So how far are we now -

let me get my bearings - from the centre of Omagh?

You're only less than a mile, probably.

-Less than a mile.

-It's not very far.

-And you were in this house the morning of the bomb?

-That's right.

I was in the kitchen in this house,

and that's when I heard the explosion,

and I ran up the stairs and looked out the skylight window,

and you could actually see the town from the skylight window,

and that's where I've seen the puff of smoke rising.

And started to turn the TV on.

That's when, really, the panic set in then.

And your poor mum, as well?

Well, yeah. Mum's completely heartbroken.

She still is very heartbroken.

So a lot of happy memories,

but a lot of very sad memories in that house.

Cat and her dad, Michael, are making today's journey back for Aidan,

thinking that he would have wanted them to give something back

in his name.

I think Aidan was that kind of person.

-What do you think, Cat?

-Yeah, I think...

That he would...he would want to,

he'd want to think that somebody could benefit in some way.

Yeah, that something positive would have come out of something so evil,

and being here would remind you on the dark days that we had,

and we know that there's other people

going through those dark days.

And to have someone say,

"Look, I've been there, and I've come through this,"

it's so important to be able to give yourself hope...

-Absolutely.

-..for the future.

-Well, I'm glad it's brought back happy memories for you.

-Thank you.

-Shall we head back into the car?

-Yeah. Thank you.

We leave the Gallagher's old family home

and head to our next destination.

Aidan had loved cars since he was a toddler.

His sporty Toyota had just broken down,

and Michael was working on it at their garage

on the outskirts of Omagh when the blast went off.

It will be obvious to Cat and Michael

that's where we're going now.

I suppose this garage was a place

where he was really happy, wasn't he?

It was. Aidan just loved being in the garage.

He loved tinkering away at cars.

Revisiting this place is emotional, especially for Cat.

This is the first time she's been back since Aidan died.

-You all right?

-Yeah.

No, the sign's exactly the same as when he left it.

-How do you feel being back here? VOICE CRACKING:

-It's difficult.

-He was happy here, though.

-He was.

-Very, very. Very.

You just expect him to be in there, working on a car and you know,

it was all a nightmare.

-Still very raw 18 years on, isn't it?

-Yeah.

-19 years on.

-It doesn't go away.

Michael couldn't carry on at the garage after Aidan's death.

The memories were just too much.

Within a few months of losing his son, he sold the business.

I had to clear this garage out 18 years ago.

It's difficult.

-Do you want to head in?

-Yeah.

-Shall we head in? Come on.

-So this was his domain?

-Yeah, absolutely.

-So, Michael, you were here...

-Yeah.

-..on the morning?

-On the morning

I was actually about here, where I was working on a car.

And I was lying on the ground, and I heard, actually heard the explosion.

-And I just...

-We're quite a way out of Omagh here, aren't we?

Whatever way, it came across, and I came out, I got up,

and I walked out, and I locked those doors, and...

Yeah. I never thought that that would be a change...

..a massive change.

Aidan's coat is still hanging here from the last day that he was here.

The man that owns the garage said he would never take it down,

so he's true to his word.

-A tragic reminder, though, isn't it?

-Yeah.

-It is.

It still smells the same.

You know, the smell is still the same when Aidan was here.

-The coats hanging there make it so real.

-Yeah, yeah.

Cat and Michael will never get over losing Aidan so suddenly

and in such tragic circumstances.

For a young man to have his life cut short in this cruel way

is devastating.

But being reminded how everyone - even this garage owner -

is helping to keep Aidan's memory alive is a huge support.

We're now heading to the centre of Omagh,

where the car bomb was planted.

The 15th of August 1998 was the final day

of the town's annual carnival week.

Aidan was recovering from a big night out.

-You'd seen him the morning he went in...?

-That's right, yeah.

That morning, I went in to see him.

He had been out the night before and I came in brushing me teeth,

and I was asking him, "How was it? Did you see such and such?"

And he was lying in the bed, and he could barely grunt to me to get out.

He needed a pair of boots for work,

and he'd been in my room the night before looking at my Levis

and he wanted a pair, so he says, "I'm going in today to get them,"

so...yeah.

At 2pm, two men parked a red Vauxhall Cavalier in Market Street,

outside a children's clothing shop.

Shortly after, a Spanish tourist took this photo,

standing right in front of the car.

Moments later, with the street heaving with shoppers...

EXPLOSION

..the car exploded.

The news of the devastating attack reverberated around the world.

As many as 12 people are thought to have been killed

in a serious bomb attack at Omagh in Northern Ireland.

The bomb exploded at about 3:10pm this afternoon.

Emergency services talk of battlefield conditions,

as they fought to save the wounded.

Aidan was just metres away.

He, along with 28 others, were killed in the blast.

There are reports that the police moved people

after hearing a bomb warning, but there are some reports

that in fact people were moved to the wrong spot

and they took the full force of the explosion.

A dissident republican group

is believed to have been responsibility...

It's a scene of just devastation.

The single worst act of terrorism

in Northern Ireland's 30 years of violence.

-This is the exact spot where the bomb went off.

-Yeah, it is.

And the street was much narrower at that time,

and, you know, the funnel effect of the bomb was greater.

The bomb just came straight through...

The car came straight the junction, and parked here.

And at that time, this used to be

a children's outfitters, school outfitters,

so that's why there were so many women and children in this shop.

Quite horrendous.

The fact that it was misleading warnings on the day of the bomb,

and the actual target that police had believed

was at the top of the town,

so everybody was shepherded, literally, as a safe area,

on top of the bomb car.

So that made it even...

That's why they were so many fatalities on the day.

-And you came down here straight afterwards.

-Yeah.

It was... It was just... Really, it was carnage.

What was going through your mind?

Hoping that Aidan wouldn't be in this.

But it wasn't until much later

when we, you know, had exhausted all the wards in the hospital,

and then it was quite late, it was about 2:30 in the morning,

when we realised that Aidan had died in the bomb,

which was...very, very difficult,

And this exact spot, some of the families - even today -

don't come here because it's... it's got so many bad memories.

Like, straight after the bomb, you know, driving through,

you felt like it was holy ground and you just...

You felt like you...

We couldn't come into the town for years after.

And then, one day, I just decided, I said,

"I'm not going to let this overcome my whole life,

"and I have to kind of deal with it."

So I just came here, and it was really unmomentous,

but the next day, you know, I felt better for coming

and, you know, I was able to carry on.

But it still brings you back, when you're standing here.

-It's a nice tribute, though, isn't it?

-It's a beautiful tribute.

Coming back to places that remind them of Aidan

and the awful day is painful.

But it's also a reminder of how the family has found the strength

to go on and reinforced their desire to give back.

But who can Michael and Cat help?

We introduced them to a girl caught up in a much more recent ordeal.

GUNFIRE, PANICKED SHOUTING

The whole time, it was just screaming.

I was just, like, curled up, like, not knowing what to do.

I was just being quiet.

But before the Gallaghers meet

the deserving recipient of their kindness,

they're keen to show me something.

The Omagh bomb caused shock waves around the world.

Thousands of people shared in Michael and Cat's grief

and wrote letters of support that have been meticulously catalogued

here at the Omagh Library.

It's another reminder to the Gallaghers of the love and support

they received through the tragedy.

So when was the last time you were in here?

-Oh, I came in here at the...the tenth anniversary.

-Right.

-Yeah.

-It's an important place, this, isn't it?

-It is.

This is the Omagh bomb archive - that's right, isn't it?

That's right. It is, it is, yeah.

-It's over 800 books of condolence.

-Mm-hm.

Sympathy cards, e-mails galore, mass cards, letters.

Everything has been kept, hasn't it?

Things like, you know, "To the children of Omagh,

"we lit candles for your mummy, wept for you,

"and we wish we could hug you and make the pain go away."

-That's from a girl who's five years old.

-Yeah.

-Yeah.

It's a tremendous outpouring of support.

This is the thing that helped us get out of bed in the morning,

when you see children that have thought about us

that first Christmas.

The loss of 29 people, nine of whom were children,

moved people everywhere.

It was really difficult, obviously, like, at the time,

to even look at these.

But having these now to come back and read over yourself and...

I mean, you do grieve along when you read some of the...

It brings you back to the time.

But you're just so grateful that these people sent it.

You feel like you want to send them a personal thank you card now,

you know, to say that yous did make such an impact at that time.

And in a way, I suppose you both are,

cos you're now wanting to give something back to somebody else.

-That's right.

-Yeah, absolutely.

We know, when these things happen, how you feel.

Today has helped Cat and Michael reflect on

the person they'd now like to give back to.

And what sort of person do you think that you'd like to help now?

Well, we'd like to help someone, obviously,

that's been through something similar as ourselves.

That we feel that we can let them know,

the way these people let us know,

that there is light, as Michael said, at the end of the tunnel.

That you will get through it, it will be difficult,

but we're here to help you along your journey and to hold your hand.

This overwhelming display of love and support

from strangers across the globe has really touched Michael and Cat,

helping them through their grief in the months after the bomb.

I don't think I've met two more courageous people in my life.

Michael and Cat are extraordinary.

What they went through almost 20 years ago,

and what they're still going through to this day, is just unimaginable.

A beloved father and loving sister's world changing forever

that moment Aidan was cruelly taken from them.

What a void it's left in their life.

Yet their strength just shines through.

They've taken such comfort in supporting others over the years,

and now they want to give back to someone personally,

and we think we've found someone who would really benefit from the help.

We want to introduce Michael and Cat to 17-year-old Millie Twells.

She lives in Ilkeston in Derbyshire.

with her mum, Zoe, and stepdad, Paul.

On the face of it, she's a regular teenager, studying for her A-levels,

hoping to go to university.

But nearly two years ago, when she was just 15,

Millie endured a most horrific ordeal

which has changed her life forever.

and has left her dealing with a severe case

of post-traumatic stress disorder.

We want to find out more about her journey,

so we're very pleased to be here

and see if there's any support we can offer.

Millie thinks we're making a programme

about people profoundly affected by tragic events.

-Hello, Millie.

-Hiya.

-It's lovely to meet you.

-Nice to meet you.

-Millie, how are you?

She has absolutely no idea that

she could be up for a potentially life-changing gift.

And while Cat and Michael get to know her,

I'm meeting her mum, Zoe, in a nearby cafe.

My brother, Aidan, was killed in the Omagh bomb, he was 21,

and it was very painful for us as a family,

and it was very difficult to really pick up the pieces after Aidan died.

But yourself, it was a different story,

so maybe if you could tell me a wee bit about what happened, you know,

and your experience.

Yeah. We went on holiday to Tunisia,

and I think it was the 24th that we got there, on the Wednesday,

and it was so lovely, everyone was so nice.

It was just normal, like, happy, like, atmosphere.

And then on Friday morning, just went for a walk down the beach...

..and all of a sudden we heard this, like...

I thought it was fireworks, I didn't know what it was.

I looked at Paul, and, like, he looked at me

and we was both, like, quite confused.

GUNFIRE

Moments later, it was clear to Millie, and her stepdad, Paul,

who were now by the pool, the noise wasn't fireworks...

but gunshots.

GUNFIRE

A lone terrorist from so-called Islamic State

had come to the resort fully armed,

intent on taking as many lives of Western tourists as possible.

INDISTINCT SPEECH

And so many people started screaming and running.

And then, before I knew it, I was away from Paul, I couldn't find him,

so I was, like, screaming for him, trying to find him.

PANICKED SHOUTING

Millie's mum, Zoe, was about 50 yards away

from Millie and her stepdad, Paul, when the gunfire started.

People were running up from the beach

and, obviously, you heard screams, so then I kind of thought,

"I've got to get myself out of here.

"Millie's with Paul - he'll take care of her."

Unable to see her daughter, Zoe was forced to run to save her life.

I went into one side of the hotel.

Somebody fell at the side of me as I was running up the stairs.

I made it into the hotel, ran to the lobby,

and then realised that I was on my own and I didn't know what to do.

And then it was kind of like the gunfire's inside the hotel now,

and I heard this big shatter.

-So it was following you?

-Mm-hm, yeah.

And then the gift shop door opened.

There was a gift shop at the front of the hotel.

And this hand came out and went, "Come, come."

And I realised that, obviously, it wasn't English,

and I didn't know whether it was safe...or whatever.

But then I thought, "If I stay here...I'm dead."

You'll get shot, yeah.

So I went into the gift shop.

How were you feeling, though? You must have been petrified.

Yeah. And I just kept thinking...

just praying that Millie's with Paul.

And that's all you can do at that point.

PANICKED SHOUTING

But Millie had lost her stepdad when the gunman first started firing.

While Zoe was hiding in the gift shop,

Millie had run terrified into the hotel lobby.

She, along with another woman, were directed

to the first-floor admin area by one of the hotel staff.

But that's exactly where the gunman was headed.

We stopped hearing the gunfire, and we heard his footsteps,

so we knew we wouldn't be safe there, so we had to move.

And we ended up in just, like, an office area down the corridor.

And that's when, like, he came up and started shooting.

A few people got killed up there.

The whole time, it was just screaming all up the corridor,

no-one knew what to do.

I was just like, curled up, like, not knowing what to do.

I was just being quiet.

Millie lay on the ground, shielded by a fellow tourist,

motionless in a room with about 15 others, including some local people.

The terrorist was in the corridor, just outside.

The gunman, he came and knocked on my door.

And this Tunisian women, she said,

"There's only Tunisians here, leave us alone,"

and he just laughed and he went, he just left.

And the whole time, people were just screaming outside,

I wanted go and help them.

Millie hid in a room for over an hour,

not knowing if she would die, or if her mum and stepdad were alive.

While she was hiding, Zoe was told it was safe to come out.

The gunman had been killed.

I saw the first body on the steps, and I was just like,

"I can't... I can't go out there and find her. I can't."

-No. Cos you were scared of what you might find?

-Yeah.

So I came back in, not knowing what to do,

and then eventually, I saw Paul.

And then it was... He's not got her.

Oh, my God.

So I'd kind of kept it together, and then all of a sudden, I lost it.

And he said to me, "I've been out there

"and checked so many bodies, Zoe, and she's not there.

-"But I will go again."

-Right.

God, what an awful thing for him to have to do, as well.

Paul went for another look.

While he was searching for her,

Millie was told it was safe to come out.

She asked one of the women she'd been hiding with to accompany her.

I asked to stay with someone that was, like, reassuring me.

I was like, "Will you stay with me if my mum's not OK?"

I didn't know what to do. I hadn't got anyone.

-Millie came out...

-HE EXHALES DEEPLY

..from behind reception, holding this woman's hand.

And then, it was...

.."Oh, my God!"

Just... You know, I just grabbed hold of her

and just wouldn't let go, and she just said to me, "Can we go home?"

-Is that what she said?

-Yeah.

She just whispered in my ear, "Can we go home?" "Yes, babe."

-Yeah, straight away.

-"Of course we can." Yeah.

Millie, Zoe and stepdad Paul were finally all reunited,

but Millie is now haunted by survivor's guilt and PTSD.

And how was your daughter?

-In severe shock.

-Right.

Cos she was 15, wasn't she?

Yeah. Yeah, she was only 15. She'd prepared herself to die.

When he was outside the room, he killed two people

outside of her room, a third one just further down the corridor,

injured several people.

But, yeah, she told me.

-Really, that she thought she was going to die?

-Yeah.

She says, "I just kept telling myself,

" 'It's not going to hurt. It'll be quick.' "

Until this point, Millie had always been a happy-go-lucky girl.

Popular and outgoing, she was always on the go,

taking part in gym club, athletics, theatre groups.

But that was the Millie before the Tunisian terror attack.

-Teenagers have enough to go through...

-Yeah, Yeah.

..you know, without something as traumatic as this.

-It's just... It's just not fair.

-Yeah.

-You know.

-Has it ruined her life?

-I don't think she'll let it.

-Right.

So, you know, at some low points, obviously, she thinks,

"He's ruined my life," and "I'm never going to get over this."

But then she gets a little bit better, and then she'll say,

"I'm not going to let him do this to me, you know...

"38 people didn't make it that day, you know,

-"I'm lucky enough to still be here."

-Mm-hm.

It must also break your heart, as her mother,

watching her go through it.

It does, it's awful. It's absolutely awful.

Zoe is aware that Millie is meeting Cat and Michael,

and knows about the support work they've done

since they lost Aidan in the Omagh bomb.

It's time to see if Zoe thinks Millie could benefit from some help

and to let her in on our secret.

Will she think it's a good idea?

Listen, she thinks we're making

a programme about terrorism, of course.

It's not the full story.

Michael and Cat want to give Millie a gift.

How do you feel about that?

I think it's wonderful. I really do.

I think it's amazing that they want to do that.

-Will she be surprised?

-Yes. I think she will, yeah.

Well, listen, you've got to keep the secret.

-Promise?

-Absolutely. Promise.

-I think I can trust you.

-I can't wait to see the look on her face.

-I know.

It's impossible to imagine what Millie, her family

and the other people who were there in Tunisia have been through.

Speaking to Zoe, I really believe Millie could benefit

from Michael and Cat's help.

But to give her a gift that will be life-changing,

they need to work out what would help Millie the most

by learning how she's coping and what support she's getting.

Millie, I'm just wondering,

you know, how do you feel now?

Some days are harder than others,

with just things on the news and things that you hear and staff,

it sometimes, like, takes you back and...

makes you have a bit of a setback.

I still have to think about places where I can go.

Like, it kind of ruins your everyday life

and, like, stops you from doing certain things

that you might have done before.

You know, I had the same feelings.

I remember, after Omagh, I couldn't go on

any street there was parked cars in.

You go through a whole range of emotions, you know.

You know, you ask, "Why was it me?"

-The survivor's guilt as well.

-That was a massive one for me.

Yeah, I'm sure.

Because...I hate him, not because of me,

but because of the people that I saw that got killed,

like, their family.

Millie and witnessed the lives lost

and the heartbreak of surviving family members.

Father and daughter Michael and Cat have a unique understanding

of what Millie is going through, and how difficult recovery is.

Are you getting any help for trauma, or anything like that?

I'm doing reliving therapy at the minute.

-That's kind of helped me as closure, kind of.

-Yeah.

I think what we found was,

coming together with other families who had suffered, because we...

we could understand each other.

Cat and Michael received a lot of support in Omagh

from families who also lost loved ones in the bombing.

For them, this was the single most important thing

in helping with their grief.

So much so, it's led to them arranging charity trips

to New York for people affected by terrorism

for them to take part in a week-long programme

where they get together with other victims of conflict.

Cat wants to know what else might be helping Millie.

So, Millie, outside of school,

is there any other interests that you have,

anything that's helped you to deal with your anxieties and any issues?

Yeah, I have... I created a blog. It takes my mind off everything.

-Right.

-It really helps me.

And what's the blog about?

It's about beauty and fashion,

but anxiety as well and, like, lifestyle things.

And so has that helped you maybe to

-put your energy into something different, then?

-Yeah.

And I like to think that maybe one person might get help from it,

like, my anxiety personal stuff. If I can help one person, then...

Maybe you can give us some make-up tips.

-What do you think, Michael?

-Absolutely. I need them.

Oh, that's great. I'll have to check it out.

Cat and Michael are encouraged

by Millie's interest in writing and fashion,

giving her an outlet,

an escapism from re-living her Tunisian nightmare.

But, you know, just listening to what you've said,

I think that you've dealt with it in a very positive way.

Learning how Millie has witnessed immense horror,

whilst believing her own life was about to end at just 15 years old,

has made a powerful impression on Cat and Michael.

-All right, Millie, bye.

-Nice meeting you.

-All right, bye.

-Thank you, Millie.

-Bye.

-Bye.

-Bye.

-Bye.

-Well, that was really nice, wasn't it?

-Mm-hm.

Yeah, she's so brave, and to be able to tell her story so openly,

you know, and it's a big deal

to actually hear yourself say the words, that, you know what,

she's suffered, what she's seen, and I think it's amazing.

It's been a couple of weeks since I saw Cat and Michael.

I can't wait to catch up with them

and hear how they got on with Millie.

From my meeting with mum Zoe,

I imagine they've been really touched by her story.

But has it helped with the decision? Let's go and find out.

I'm meeting Michael and Cat very close to Millie's sixth form.

I'm really excited to hear what they're planning to do.

Great to catch up with both of you again.

I know that you've also met Millie. How did it go?

Yeah, it went really well.

Millie was very open,

she was able to talk to us and tell us about her experience.

-She's been very brave, hasn't she?

-Absolutely.

You know, I was sort of hesitant

because when someone has went through that experience so recently,

you didn't know, really, where they were.

Did it bring back, for you,

what's happened to you as well, a little bit?

It does, yeah, definitely.

You share the same feelings and emotions she went through.

-And she's definitely not out of the woods just yet.

-No, no.

Well, that's always the thing - people, maybe on the outside,

look like they're OK, they're coping, they're managing,

they're getting their studies done,

but sometimes you have to actually deal with the pain,

and we hope that we're able to help her in some way with that.

Do you think you will be able to help her?

Yeah, we're hoping to.

We have decided to take Millie on a trip to New York.

-Wow!

-Yeah.

It's a great opportunity to meet victims of terrorism

from all over the world.

So why do you think this trip will help her?

Well, the trip is about bonding,

it's about dealing with the pain but dealing with it with peers.

I think it's important for her is to sit down with somebody her own age

and have them discussions and talks.

But then also to see, like, a fun side of it.

It's really a journey she'll be going through

when she goes to New York.

The young people that we have sent in the past

have never, ever forgotten that trip - and probably never will.

And you think that will help her on her journey to...

-Yeah.

-..move on with life?

Absolutely, because what we have found is

you get your strength mainly from other victims.

How brilliant. That's an amazing gift.

This is a trip Michael and Cat have offered

through their Omagh Support And Self-help Group,

and the New York charity Strength To Strength.

But they want to go one step further for Millie

and give a very personal gift, too.

Obviously her self-esteem and her confidence

had declined after the attack,

and we know that she has her make-up blogs,

and we were looking at maybe sending her to a private one-day tuition.

Oh, wow, OK.

So, yeah, we're hoping that she'll get some skills

and then be able to give back through her blog.

You're being incredibly generous.

This is just a small token of what we would like to give back,

and we've been helped, so we want to help others.

And maybe in another number of years,

Millie will be able to reach back to others as well.

It's an amazing gift. I can't begin to thank you.

-Have you put all your thoughts down in a letter?

-Yeah, yeah.

-So I suppose it's time to surprise her.

-Yeah.

-How do you think she'll react?

-Oh, I don't know.

-She'll be excited, anyway, I'm sure.

-Yeah, yeah. Hope so.

She's at school at the moment, so I think no time like the present.

-Shall we go for it?

-Yeah.

-Come on, let's go.

-Great.

What a journey it's been for Cat and Michael,

but now is the moment that will make it all worth it -

telling Millie what we've really been up to

and presenting her with a gift that will hopefully help

get her life back on track.

We've come to her school to interrupt her media class.

Look at that - bang on time. She's here.

-How are you?

-Hiya.

-Nice to see you.

-You too.

'Joining us in the big surprise is Millie's mum, Zoe.'

-Are we ready to do this?

-Yes.

-So she's got... She's in a media studies lesson?

-She is, yes.

-With her mates?

-Yeah.

-Oh, my gosh.

-This is going to be interesting.

-I know.

-Hi, Millie.

-Hi.

-How are you?

-Good. Are you?

-I'm not bad. I'm Aled, from the BBC. Nice to meet you.

-Hi.

Now, listen, you thought we were making a programme

about victims of terrorism.

It's not the full story, is it?

-You know these two.

-Yeah.

-Hi.

-Hi.

Yeah, your story has been inspiring to us,

so we have this letter, Millie, for you,

and we'd just like you to read it.

-If you can read it out loud, if you don't mind.

-OK.

"Dear Millie, thank you so much for sharing your story with us.

"We're sure it was extremely painful for you to return

"to the horror of that day.

"Listening to how you have been able to rebuild your life

"and focus your energy on a more positive direction

"is courageous and inspirational.

"We also have suffered and feel compelled to reach out,

"and, in some ways, offer some comfort and support.

"We would love to invite you to participate in

"Young Ambassador programme in New York City."

What?

You're going to New York.

-Are you being serious?

-Yeah!

-What? Do you want me to carry on reading?

-Yeah, go on.

LAUGHTER

"It will enable you to bond with other victims of terrorism

"and survivors while visiting the city.

"We would also like to help you regain some of your confidence

"and self-esteem, which was lost on that terrible day.

"We would like to treat you to a one-on-one masterclass

"in make-up art...artistry.

"We hope the skills you will learn will help you and others

"through your blog you're writing.

"We are privileged to have met you

"and to send you every best wish for your future."

Aww!

-How do you feel?

-I don't what to say.

So go on, then, how do you feel about that - a trip to New York?

-I don't know what to say.

-It's going to be amazing.

-Yeah.

I think the whole trip sounds just amazing.

Yeah, she'll meet kids from Israel, from Colombia, from New York,

and you'll be able to have a wonderful time.

It's the most amazing week you'll have of your life.

You'll meet the, what, Chief of Police as well?

Yeah, the Chief of Police, you go on the Hudson River,

you go to Ellis Island.

You do everything that a tourist can do, but better,

because with a real New Yorker that knows the sights

and the back streets, so, yeah.

-Thank you.

-And what about the make-up day?

The make-up artist that we've arranged for you

has worked with Lady Gaga.

She's been on tour with her and Selena Gomez,

and a few other celebrities, so she's well renowned,

so we're delighted that you're able to go to her as well.

-Thank you so much.

-You're grand.

-Oh, that's amazing.

-I wish had that make-up artist.

-You don't need the make-up.

Oh, thank you very much. Yeah, that was the right thing to say.

What you've gone through has been incredible,

and the journey that you've made, and it's going to be amazing.

-Will you send us a post card?

-Yeah.

Well, listen, we'll leave you to your class,

cos we've disrupted your media studies lesson.

Now you'll know what happens in TV - anyone can do it!

We'll leave you to it, OK? Nice to meet you.

-Nice to meet you.

-Come on, let's leave them to it.

INAUDIBLE

I don't know what to say.

I was just surprised by the letter.

When I saw "New York", I was like...

I didn't believe it. I had a heart attack.

Cat and Michael are just so inspirational and so lovely.

I can't believe they'd do something like that for me.

It really means a lot.

She's going to love it. It's just so amazing.

She deserves it so much. She's such an amazing person.

Millie seems like she's really excited, so we're excited for her.

Just can't wait, now, to make it happen.

Absolutely incredible. It really was.

Her reaction was amazing, and she really, really deserves it.

Yeah, fantastic.

People have done so much for us, and that's why we can be here.

If we didn't have that, you know, that love and support,

and that's why it is important

when we get the opportunity of giving that back to others.

It's a real privilege to be here and to do that.

Taking Michael and Cat back to August 1998

and that terrible day that they lost their beloved Aidan

has been such a moving experience for them and for me.

I'm in awe of their courage and how they've dealt with such tragedy.

And now witnessing their positivity and their desire to help Millie

has been such a privilege.

She was thrilled by their generous gift,

and I'm sure it's going to give her a real boost.

I'm in no doubt that Michael and Cat have done exactly the right thing.