The father of Leona Harper, one of the youngest victims of the Creeslough explosion, has described his daughter as a “little gem”.
Leona (14) was killed as she queued to buy ice cream with a friend. A pupil at Mulroy college in Milford, she was a keen rugby player and a huge Liverpool fan. The club posted a message of sympathy on social media as news of her death spread.
In an emotionally charged radio interview today, Leona’s heart-broken dad, Hugh Harper, said his daughter would be very sorely missed. Her parents revealed they had to undergo an agonising 24-hour wait until their daughter’s body was found.
Mr Harper said: “Leona was a little gem, very outgoing, very friendly; she was a lovely person.”
Fighting back tears, Mr Harper told Donegal’s Highland Radio his daughter was laid back and loved life. He said she loved the outdoors, “walking through fields and going fishing”. She also enjoyed attending car shows.
“She was very special, very, very special. She’s going to be very sorely missed,” he said.
Leona’s mum, Donna, paid particular tribute to the emergency personnel who worked so hard to rescue the injured and recover the dead. Mrs Harper said she personally knew the digger driver who helped remove the rubble.
“He just didn’t stop until he got her; 24 hours before we got her, she was the last taken out,” she said.
The grieving mother said everyone involved in the recovery operation, including doctors and medial staff, treated the entire operation with respect.
