I’m looking forward to seeing the island that made gran so happy. It’s just heartbreaking that she won’t be there
Family on their emotional trip to Crete as death inquiry reopens
It was with mixed emotions Rebecca Porter arrived in Crete yesterday.
The 23-year-old’s gran, Jean Hanlon, had always wanted her grandchildren to see her new life on the holiday island, insisting they would fall in love with it as much as she had.
But Rebecca, from Dumfries, never had the chance, as her gran was found dead in suspicious circumstances four days after going missing on the Greek island.
It has taken until now, 10 years after Jean’s death, for Rebecca to feel ready to make the journey.
As she prepares to make an appeal at a press conference tomorrow for new witnesses to come forward, Rebecca said: “I have mixed emotions about coming here. It’s been a long time coming, and, although I’m nervous about it, I feel ready.
“My gran was desperate for us to come across when I was younger, so I’m looking forward to seeing the place where she lived.
“She was always sending us letters and postcards and we know how happy she was here.”
But the island will always hold tragic associations for the family.
The body of 53- year- old Jean was pulled from the water in March 2009 and the initial verdict of accidental drowning was changed when a
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The tiniest piece of information could be the missing bit of evidence
– Rebecca Porter
catalogue of injuries, including a broken neck, shattered ribs and punctured lung, were discovered. Authorities ruled she would have been dead before hitting the water but, despite her sons Robert, David and Michael fighting for answers, the person responsible was never found. Rebecca, her uncle Michael and friends of the family will hold a memorial to Jean at Heraklion, close to where her body was found, tomorrow alongside the press conference. Although the case has twice been closed, it has been reopened again after a recent Channel 5 documentary prompted new information and the family is keen to push the inquiry on. They have revealed someone has come forward with a more detailed timeline of events on the evening of Jean’s disappearance, and the Greek authorities are now reinvestigating.
Rebecca continued: “It feels different this time. “Even people in Dumfries say they had forgotten about it until they watched the show and that is why we keep on going, because the tiniest piece of information could be the missing bit of evidence.
“It’s early days and I’m trying not to get my hopes up, but we are here and we want to keep on pushing.”
Rebecca, who is in her final year of studying to become a primary school teacher, is one of nine grandchildren who had to grow up without Jean.
“It was a very confusing time and there were so many emotions,” she admitted. “I remember trying to get in touch with her and not hearing anything.
“Being slightly older, I kind of knew, so I was looking out for the younger ones who didn’t realise what was going on.
“And then news.”
Rebecca, alongside her siblings and cousins, have fond memories of Jean. “She was so family orientated. “As far back as I can remember she would take us for days out. She stayed over at our house and took us to places like Camera Obscura and Dock Park in Dumfries, always having a laugh with us.
“At least I have the photos to look back on.
“She has a great- grandchild now, which she isn’t here to see.”
With so many false dawns, the family has had to learn to live with the uncertainty surrounding Jean’s suspicious death.
“Every day is a day of wondering, of trying to live life as normal,” Rebecca
it all came out in the added. “I’ve thought so much about how we will react when we finally know what happened.
“I don’t know how I’ll truly feel when that day comes, but I think it would be a huge relief for us all.”
As well as addressing the media tomorrow, Rebecca and Michael will release 10 helium balloons in Jean’s memory.
They will also distribute flyers and posters asking for help and new leads.
Michael said: “Crete will always be very special to our family despite the painful memories we share.
“We have never had any hard feelings or issues with Greece or its people in relation to this tragedy.
“We just hope with the right information and support we can all work together and hopefully reach a clear- cut conclusion and ultimately put an end to this heartbreaking situation, and bring about the justice mum deserves.”
A petition calling on the UK and Greek authorities to fully reinvestigate the case has been set up by the family at change.org.