Sunday Mirror (Northern Ireland)
My hell as fiancée hid from Barcelona terror in a freezer
Snooker ace Ronnie tells of chilling phone call
OF all the dark moments in troubled snooker legend Ronnie O’Sullivan’s life, this was the most chilling.
His mobile went off as he headed back to his hotel from a match – and on the other end of the line was distraught fiancée Laila Rouass: she was hiding in a restaurant freezer room during August’s Barcelona terror attack.
She had run for cover with her 10-yearold daughter Inez after a van ploughed through the busy Las Ramblas, killing 13 people and injuring 80.
Armed police were combing the tourist area looking for the murderous driver, 22-year-old Younes Abouyaaqoub.
And Ronnie, 42, knew a similar attack on London Bridge in June had seen more people killed after the terrorists had abandoned their vehicle.
Today, for the first time, the 41-yearold five times world champ speaks of his despair and fear as he took the call.
“I felt helpless,” he says. “I just wanted them both to be safe.
“We just kept talking. I was very nervous for them. She then started making her way back to her hotel amid the pandemonium. We kept talking until she got back into the room.
“It hit me later when I started watching it on CNN live. I thought ‘s**t this is serious’. It was a huge relief to know they were both safe. That’s the times we live in now.”
ROCK
Former Holby City and Strictly star Laila, 46, has been a rock for Ronnie.
The pair have been engaged since 2013 and he says they spend every night together when he’s not on tour.
Ronnie leans on Laila for support and credits her with helping him stay on the straight and narrow.
The star has battled depression and been in rehab for drug and alcohol addiction over the years, and praises her for helping him stay off the bottle.
“I’m with someone who doesn’t drink,” he says. “Once I start I don’t want to stop. If you surround yourself with positive people, hopefully they rub off on you.”
But one thing The Rocket isn’t ready to give up yet is his sport. He’s given that decision to dad Ronnie Snr who has served life for a gangland killing.
“I ring my dad up, saying, ‘I know I’m not young any more, but should I quit?’,” says Ronnie. “He’ll tell me I’m all right. He’s warned me he will tell me if he thinks I need to retire.
“And if he did, I would think seriously about it.
“But there is bit left in the tank. I just want to see if I’ve still got it.”