Funeral request of murdered PSNI man
CONSTABLE Stephen Carroll, the PSNI officer murdered last month by dissident republicans, had spoken about dying just days before his death, his widow has revealed.
Kate, his 58-year-old widow, said that just 48 hours before his death the Banbridge man had talked to her of his funeral arrangements.
Mrs Carroll said that she had taken comfort from the many visitors from across the district who have come to her home to offer their condolences.
Const Carroll, 48, was responding to an emergency call in Craigavon last month when he was shot dead by the Continuity IRA.
The officer and his wife were listening to music in their conservatory 48 hours before his death and when Highland Cathedral – a well-known Scottish bagpipe melody – was playing, he turned to her and said, "This is a lovely song. I think that when I die I would like this to be played at the graveyard."
Her response was one of disbelief, she said.
"I just said to him, 'for goodness sake, Steve, you'll be standing by my grave before that happens'."
Two days later he was murdered.
The Banbridge woman honoured her beloved husband's request and a lone piper stood by his graveside and played the tune.
"I think he would have been proud. He was the best thing, as well as my son and my grandchildren, that has ever happened to me."
Now she plans to plant two trees in the back garden of her home, "one for me and one for Steve" – and each will be marked by a plaque.
"This is something that I can do personally in his memory and I will always have the very, very happy memories of us together which will keep me going through the next few years."
Mrs Carroll said she hoped her husband's legacy will be that no one else will have to go through what she suffered since his death.
"I've received over 500 cards from... the north, south, east and west and I even received letters from New York, Alabama and New Zealand.
"I even had one letter from a woman who said that her three-year-old daughter was asking her questions because she just didn't know what was going on. And her mummy told her that it was the work of 'bad men'.
"My attitude to life is to live and let live. After all, no matter what religious background each and every person belongs to, the end result is the same – we all have to answer to God."
Grandmother to Shane's four children Jake, Dean, Jordan and Katelyn, Kate said that she copes by taking comfort from the support shown by local people and by "taking things day-by-day".
"I can't think beyond that. One day I will be able to forgive. I'm not bitter and I don't think Steve would want me to be like that, but one day – one day I'll be able to smile again, when I'm ready to."
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Monday 28 May 2012
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