One year on, ‘little Millie’ is remembered

Rodney Edwards • Published 24 Dec 2010 09:00

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TODDLER Millie Martin has been lovingly remembered across Northern Ireland, one year after her tragic death.

Dozens of people from all walks of life lit candles in memory of the 15-month-old girl who lost her life in December 2009.

Millie’s grandmother Margaret Graham says the family have been “overwhelmed” by the outpouring of support.

“It was a sad weekend but I was more pleased than anything else because it showed that so many people thought so much of Millie to go and do that for us. Even people who didn’t know her as well as they know other members of the family were getting involved and that was just great.

“I have a little candle that I have in the house and a friend of mine got me lanterns and we released two lanterns up into the sky. It was lovely because we were talking to Millie and telling her we were sending her off these lanterns,” she said.

A number of people from right around the province posted pictures of lit candles on a special Facebook group.

“People were sending me messages saying that even though they didn’t know her they wanted to do something. There’s a man called Timothy Reynolds who was about to go on stage in England and he wrote to me to tell me that he had taken a moment to light a candle backstage to remember Millie. I thought it was a very nice thing for everyone to do -- to remember little Millie.”

Mrs. Graham says the family are still trying to come to terms with their horrific loss but they are “getting there” with the help and support of the community.

“We can’t believe it’s a year since we last saw her. You always think what would she be like now? You know. What would she have been doing and saying. We’re getting by day-to-day and missing Millie every single day. But it was the help and comfort of so many people showing they cared and thinking of us as a family that got us through the weekend,” she said.

And it’s that unwavering support that Millie’s family say will continue to help them in the days, months and years ahead.

This article appeared in Impartial Reporter 23 Dec 10

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