Signs of improvement give hope to family of car crash victim Rachel
THE family of Co Fermanagh woman Rachel Elliott say they have experienced “a miracle” after the young mum opened her eyes for the first time, six days after a horrific road accident.
Ms Elliott’s distraught sister Donna Elliott (30) had previously told of her family’s fears that the young mum may have suffered a brain stem injury after being thrown out of the rear window of a car when it hit a wall.
Two people — mum-of-one Shiva Devine (20) from Belleek and Conall McAleer (20) from Kesh — died. Two other men were seriously injured.
Ms Elliott (25), who lives outside Irvinestown, also suffered injuries to her back and pelvis in the incident on Sunday, August 19. The blue Peugeot 306 in which six people were travelling crashed into business premises in Bundoran, Co Donegal, at around 3.25am.
That night, former St Mary’s College pupil Ms Elliott was transferred from Sligo University Hospital to Dublin’s Beaumont Hospital, where she had been on life support.
Six days later, in the early hours of Saturday morning, Donna revealed on social media that the family had been given the glove of Padre Pio to bless
Serious injuries: Rachel Elliott
Rachel, and said: “It’s in God’s hands now, and we have great faith.”
The family had also issued an appeal in Saturday’s Belfast Telegraph for people to “pray for a miracle” for Ms Elliott.
Yesterday, Donna told this newspaper her brave sister had finally opened her eyes on Saturday, and described her as “a fighter”.
“It has been a miracle that she has opened her eyes,” said Donna. “She has made good progress compared to where she was, it’s a great achievement.
“It shows that she is a fighter. “I want to thank the people who have stuck with us and who have continued with their prayers. At the minute she has only opened her eyes — we have been told that it is a waiting game to find out anything else.”
Posting online, she added: “I’ve always said I would love to win the lottery. Well, I did when I saw my beautiful sister open her big blue eyes.
“Please keep praying she makes a full recovery. Please God look down on her.”
Donna previously revealed that doctors have not been able to tell the family whether her beloved sister will pull through.
The family is maintaining a round-the-clock vigil at Ms Elliott’s bedside, while trying to comfort her three-year-old son, Ronnie.
Donna also previously told this newspaper that she, her parents and siblings Lorraine and Hugh-John, “just want the old Rachel back”.
“We’re just hoping for her to wake up and ask: ‘Why are you all here’? We just want the old, fun-loving Rachel, who couldn’t stay in the house and was the life and soul of the home, back.”
Shiva Devine was laid to rest last Tuesday, while Conall McAleer’s funeral took place last Wednesday.
A man in his 20s who was arrested after presenting himself to the Garda on Sunday morning was released without charge that night. Police in the Republic have said that a file will be prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions.