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Westminster attack anniversary: Survivors and friends of victims tell of their suffering one year after tragedy

'I saw an unconscious lady to my left, and another screaming to my right. It is a pretty horrific memory I have still'

Harriet Agerholm
Thursday 22 March 2018 01:57 GMT
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Westminster attack - Who the five people killed?

Survivors and friends of the victims of the Westminster terror attack have spoken about their suffering, one year after the tragedy in which five people were killed and 50 injured.

Khalid Masood ploughed a 4x4 vehicle into pedestrians on Westminster Bridge on 22 March last year, killing US tourist Kurt Cochran, Romanian visitor Andreea Cristea, 31, and Britons Aysha Frade, 44, and Leslie Rhodes, 75.

He then stabbed unarmed police constable Keith Palmer to death as he stood on duty outside the Houses of Parliament. One year after the 48-year-old’s death, a friend paid tribute to a courageous officer and family man who “idolised” his wife and daughter.

Hospital shop worker Francisco Lopes, who was among the dozens injured during the attack, said he was forced to give up his job and plans to emigrate to escape the haunting memories of the atrocity.

The 27-year-old was walking across Westminster Bridge when he was flung across the bonnet of a vehicle driven by the extremist.

He said he had almost reached Big Ben when he heard a woman scream behind him and saw a Hyundai vehicle veer into the cycle lane.

“I saw that the car was on the pavement. That’s a moment that’s been in my head a lot,” he said.

“The car just comes onto the pavement. I had no time to do anything, it just went at me. I just felt that I spun in the air. I was just on the ground after that.

“That’s all I can recall from that moment. At the time I had no clue what was going on.

“Fortunately I didn’t pass out, I was just moving in pain on the floor.”

PC Keith Palmer

He said he then looked around and saw people who appeared in a “far worse” condition than he was.

“I saw an unconscious lady to my left, and another lady who was screaming to my right,” he said. “It is a pretty horrific memory that I have still.”

The former English teacher required surgery on his hand and months of physiotherapy to regain its full use.

He still struggles with memories of that day, dislikes being in crowded places and was forced to give up his job near the site of the attack because of the sadness that his journey to work provoked.

“Looking back on it now, my life is so much different than it was,” he said.

“I was so different than I am now. Sometimes I wish I was that person still. I was much stronger. I had a much stronger character. I’ve kind of lost a lot of confidence in myself.

“I try not to talk a lot about it because I don’t want people to feel sorry for me. I want to try my best to be the normal person that I was. It’s been quite tough.”

He is now set to move from London to Ecuador, where his mother lives.

“I don’t really enjoy my life here after the accident, I just want to go where I feel comfortable,” he said. ”My goal is to go back to South America to be with my fiancee.”

Also speaking on the eve of the anniversary, junior doctor Colleen Anderson, who was working at St Thomas’ Hospital at the time of the attack, described seeing “mayhem” when she arrived to treat the casualties of the attack.

She was only eight months into her training at the time and said much of the two hours she spent attending to the wounded on the bridge was with PC Kristofer Aves, who has been left paralysed by the injuries he suffered.

The police officer had been celebrating a day of professional success when the attack unfolded, having just been presented with a commendation for his work as a police liaison officer.

Dr Anderson, 27, said: “I spent the majority of my time with him, I was holding him in a C-spine position to keep his neck dead still.

“He won’t remember any of the day. I was speaking to him, keeping him awake.

“I was asking him about his day, about his family – he was talking about the award he got.

“I was just trying to calm him down as well.”

Looking back one year later, Dr Anderson said: “I remember it vividly and perhaps I would not remember so much if there were not these constant reminders.

“There was a show on looking back at 2017 and all the attacks and unfortunately I was on call when London Bridge happened.”

But she added “good things” had come from the tragic events, saying they “brought people much closer together”.

Melissa Cochran, whose husband Kurt was among the five killed in the attack and who suffered a broken rib and leg when she was hit by Masood’s vehicle, said she continued to grieve for her partner.

“We all miss Kurt very much and speak of him often,” she said in a statement. “I continue to focus on my recovery and think of all of the victims of that terrible day at this difficult time.

“While I continue to grieve my husband Kurt and all the victims of that day, I strive to move ahead and focus on my recovery as well as honouring Kurt’s life by advocating love, forgiveness and peace.”

The inquests into the five deaths will begin in September, followed by a separate jury inquest into the death of Masood, who was shot by police.

Lawyer Patrick Maguire from Slater and Gordon, which is representing the victim’s families, said: “When Khalid Masood drove into our clients in a despicable act of evil a year ago he changed their lives forever.

“Many still face a daily struggle with their physical injuries that are unlikely to ever properly heal. But what has blighted all of their lives are the mental scars from the horrors they experienced that day.

“The anniversary of this terrible day should be used to remember those who lost their lives and support those who survived with their recovery.

“We look forward to the inquest, when questions about how this atrocity was ever allowed to happen, will hopefully be answered.”

PC Shaun Cartwright paid tribute to his friend PC Palmer, calling him “a proud and courageous police officer who did his job and never wanted any fuss”.

In a statement released through Scotland Yard he said: “Keith loved being a police officer, he just wanted to help people and do his best.

“Keith was always happy, always the first to help anyone out, first in to work and the last one out.

“He was a proud and courageous police officer who did his job and never wanted any fuss or to be the centre of attention. Keith was a true and loyal friend, utterly reliable.

“Most of all I will remember him as a family man who idolised his wife, daughter and his family; they’re the important ones that I think about a year on from the Westminster attack.”

Senior officers are expected to attend a number of private memorial services on Thursday to mark the first anniversary of the atrocity, but the force has not made details public.

PC Palmer’s name will be one of 1,400 inscribed on the new UK Police Memorial being built in Staffordshire, commemorating officers who were killed on duty. Another 4,000 of those who died on duty will be remembered inside the memorial.

Supporters have been asked to donate £5 towards the scheme, for which £3.1m has been raised of a total £4m cost.

It includes an education programme to teach children about policing and support scheme for bereaved families.

Sir Hugh Orde, chair of trustees of the UK Police Memorial, said: “This has been an unprecedented year for policing with officers and staff repeatedly putting themselves in danger to keep the public safe and protecting them from harm.

“Sadly, in March last year we saw one of my policing colleagues Pc Keith Palmer lose his life during a terrorist attack in London whilst protecting our freedoms and safeguarding our democracy.

“Keith’s death put greater emphasis on the need to create a memorial where the nation can go to commemorate our police service.”

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