RIP Michaela McAreavey

[laoisgaa]

Mickey Harte has this evening told of his family's devastation and the loss of their daughter and sister Michaela, following her death in Spain yesterday.

"This is our day to bare this cross," he said.

"We just love our Michaela, she was such a good girl.

"Every father would have said that about their daughter, but I can say it without a shadow of a doubt - she was a gem and we will always remember her.

"What a day she had on her wedding day, she was just radiant.

"A beautiful girl, and I just love her to bits, and so does our whole family. We just are so devastated."

[laoisgaa]

This is the statement issued by Tyrone GAA Manager Mickey Harte, on behalf of his wife Marian and his three sons Mark, Michael, and Matthew.

``We are devastated but heartened by the support we have got throughout the community, throughout the GAA community, throughout the wider community in the north, throughout Ireland and across the water.

``We are grateful for that. Thank God for great people.

``Michaela was a lovely girl, a wonderful daughter, a brilliant sister for these boys and we will always treasure her.

``She was a beautiful girl. She couldn't be better, couldn't be nicer. God love her, we are so, so sorry.

``We are equally sorry for poor John her husband whom she adored. He adored her.

``They did not get so long to share their lives with each other. It is such a shame. Our hearts are broken.

``A lot of people have had this experience before. We have tried to empathise with them. But you can't get the feeling unless you have been there.

``And God save anybody having to go to this place.

``But we thank God for the people who are there, the support that is there, and the prayers that are there. We know they are coming in thick and fast, and it is so good at this time. We need that.

``And we need the bit of privacy now. This is how we feel.

``Many people have felt like this in the past and this is our day to bear the cross.

``We just loved our Michaela. She was such a good girl. Every father says that about their daughter, but I can say that without a shadow of doubt.

``She was a gem and we will always remember her.

``What a day she had on her wedding day. She was just radiant, a beautiful girl, and I just love her to bits. So did her whole family. We are so devastated.

``The McAreavey family are so special to us to. There is a special bond. John is a special lad. You have to be special if you're going to be Michaela's husband.

``John is out in Mauritius. He is isolated out there. It has been an awful time. Our hearts go out to him and I would ask everyone to please respect his privacy.

``The lad is devastated. He is our son-in-law. He is a wonderful young man. Please lay off.

``We are speaking on his behalf. We are devastated. Through us, he wants us to say to leave him alone. He is in such a lonely place and even his own family members are not out there yet.

``I have had 27 years with a lovely wonderful girl, who grew up into a beautiful lady. She was radiant and so, so special. She will always be special to me and this family.

``We will miss her so much. But we will love her to bits. Her spirit is with us. It has to be now. How else could I say this, if it wasn't.

``This is the worst nightmare that anyone can imagine. If you think things can be bad, then you go beyond that because that is where we are.

``This is too horrible to contemplate. We are just all devastated. It is the worst of the worst and our hearts are broken.''

[Puckoon]

My own heart is breaking as I read that. Tears in the eyes for all of us - as we think of our own families, and daughters, and sisters and mothers. They didnt have to take her wee life. Such a loss.

[winsamsoon]

That news report would have took a tear out of a stone. God bless them

[tyroneboi]

Jeez lads that was a tough watch there. Measure of the man that he could speak as eloquently as that with what he is going through.

[new devil]

That was one of the most heartbreaking things i have ever seen...Would bring tears to a stone is right
Having been this affected by someones death that i didn't really know since Cormac's in 2004...Just so hard to get your head around
RIP Michaela I hope Paul and Cormac take care of you up there

[Siggy]

Takes a lot to make me cry but watching Mickey there now set me off.

[FL/MAYO]

http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/0111/hartem.html#video

Don't know how he did that, great man, so sad.

[Milltown Row2]

Was one of the saddest interviews i've ever seen.

[Jinxy]

Just watched Mickey make that statement on the news.
Desperately, desperately sad stuff.
And yet such is the quality of the man he can come out and face the cameras and speak honestly and openly.
The sheer pain of the loss was etched on his face.
God love them all, such a thing to endure.

[ziggysego]

Such a dignified family. I do not know how they had the strength to face the media. Heart wrenching.

[gaagaa]

Just watched the interview on utv - I don't know where Mickey gets his srength from - God help the families in the days, months and years to come.  This tragedy has really hit the GAA family across Derry and I'm sure the rest of the world.  It is a measure of the family's standing how this has personally effected us all. 

We will be praying for you all and hopefully you will be able to come through this.

Rest in peace.

[muppet]

That was tough to watch, God only knows what it is like for them.

I'm doing my best to think of an equivalent to Michaela anywhere in the Gaa and can't think of anyone. We sort of saw her grow up with Tyrone's success. Padraig Harrington's little boy in the golf world possibly when he won his majors but his success was over a short period and he is still a little lad.

But certainly in the Gaa world Michaela was unique.

RIP and sincere sympathies from a Castlebar Mitchel.

[pintsofguinness]

http://www.u.tv/utvplayer/video/134501/109764/ce1398b8-9367-4779-8914-10e203107e47

Heartbreaking, I don't know how he found the strength to do that.

[gaagaa]

It's tragic, after the amount of people Mickey has given strength to in their own times of grief, that he should have to face this burden.