‘Mum, I’m safe... I know you will be worrying’
A student injured in the Westminster terror attack was thrown over the bonnet of the killer’s car as the carnage began, his mother has said. Travis Frain, 19, was walking across Westminster Bridge with other youngsters when he was mown down by the car. Seconds later, the politics student, who wants to become an MP, called his mother to say: “Mum I’m safe... I know you will be worrying.”
He suffered a fractured leg, fractured left arm, cuts to his thigh and two broken fingers and was expected to undergo an operation last night at King’s College Hospital, London. Mr Frain, a politics and history undergraduate had been with 12 other students from Edge Hill University in Ormskirk, to watch Prime Minister’s questions in Parliament.
His mother, Angela Frain, 46, from Darwen, Lancashire, said: “He loves politics, that is his ideal trip, going to Parliament. He was probably buzzing with excitement. I think he would love to be an MP.” She said they had a break for an hour so came out of Parliament. “He just said that he came out, they were walking along the bridge, it literally happened that fast I don’t think he knew what had happened. I think it hit him on his side and he went over the bonnet.”
Mrs Frain, a teacher, said another group of students from the college where she works were also in London when she heard the news. She added: “Then I thought, ‘My son is in London’. He was not picking up on his phone. Then the police rang me. Just shock really, it was only within seconds I learned there was an incident in London and got this telephone call. Obviously I was relieved to speak to him. He just said, ‘Mum I’m safe, I’m just letting you know, I know you will be worrying.’ I think I asked him a thousand questions all at once. He’s very mature and sensible, I’m sure he will take it all in his stride.”
Mrs Frain is travelling to London to be with her son. She said he is still expected to be in hospital for “a few days” and was supposed to undergo surgery last night.
“I think he was absolutely exhausted. He’s up and down really, in the moment you just get on with it. The Metropolitan Police has been fantastic with him thankfully. I have not given any thought to the attack as such. Travis is my number one priority. I’m just very thankful. We have been very lucky.”
Three other students from the group were injured but have been released from hospital. Among those injured was Owen Lambert, 18, from Morecambe, Lancashire, who needed stitches to a head wound.
Meanwhile, a woman who plunged into the Thames during the attack, has been named as Andreea Cristea, a 29-year-old Romanian architect. It’s still not clear whether she leapt into the water to avoid the car or if she was thrown from the bridge by it. According to reports Ms Cristea was in London to celebrate her boyfriend’s birthday. Romanian Ambassador Dan Mihalache told Realitatea TV late on Wednesday that Ms Cristea sustained serious head injuries and had badly damaged lungs. Her boyfriend suffered a foot fracture. Mr Mihalache said: “They were tourists. Unfortunately they were unlucky. They had come to celebrate his birthday.” He
said the pair planned to get married.