Tragic ending to to US couple’s dream holiday
Kurt Cochran was a hard-working family man who nevertheless lived his dream. The rock-obsessed American, who ran his own music studio, was enjoying the final day of a trip of a lifetime with his wife to celebrate the couple’s 25th anniversary.
But as dusk fell on Thursday, Kurt, 54, lay dead at the mouth of a concrete underpass beneath Westminster Bridge, while a shattered Melissa, 46, was being treated in hospital for a broken leg, broken ribs and cuts to her head.
It is believed that Kurt Cochran either jumped from the bridge to avoid Khalid Masood’s rampaging SUV, or he was pushed.
The couple, from near Salt Lake City, Utah, had already visited Germany, the Netherlands, Ireland and Scotland, and had been excitedly sharing photographs of their trip with friends on social media.
Yesterday, however, a distraught relative, Shantell Payne, used the same platform to break the news of Kurt Cochran’s death.
‘‘With a heavy heart I must pass the sad news of our beautiful brother, father, husband, son and friend Kurt Cochran, he could not overcome the injuries he received in the London terror attacks,’’ she wrote.
‘This pain is so heart wrenching and raw it has rocked our family and all that knew him to its core. We will miss Kurt beyond words.’’
A friend, Nate Kizerian, told the Daily Telegraph that Mr Cochran was extremely generous with his recording studio and would let it out for free to help musicians struggling to build their careers.
‘‘It can be hard when you’ve got responsibilities in daily life to dive into your dream, but he did just that. He gave it all to make it happen and he succeeded.’’
Cochran grew up in Maryland and lived in Texas for a time before settling in Utah in 1983.
Kizerian said the attack in London would not deter him from travelling to Britain. ‘‘I think if you buy in to fear, then they win, [Islamic State] win,’’ he said.
The couple were in London to visit Melissa Cochran’s parents, who are Mormon missionaries.
A spokesman for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints said: ‘‘Kurt was a good man and a loving husband to our sister and daughter, Melissa.
‘‘They were in Europe to celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary, and were scheduled to return to the United States on Thursday.
‘‘We express our gratitude to the emergency and medical personnel who have cared for them and ask for your prayers on behalf of Melissa and our family. Kurt will be greatly missed.’’
After the attack, Kurt Cochran’s body lay for several hours under a silver sheet on the pedestrian path beneath the bridge before forensic officers erected a large white tent around the scene.
- Telegraph Group