Locket returned after Journal appeal

A Derry mother who appealed to ‘Journal’ readers to help her find a lost locket which had a photograph of her deceased son, has had it returned after the people who found it read an appeal in this morning’s Derry Journal.

The appeal for the locket which had “extreme sentimental value,” was printed in this morning’s edition of this paper. Glenowen woman, Angela White contacted the paper in tears of joy to say : “I can’t thank the ‘Journal’ enough , it’s not even ten o’clock yet and I am getting the locket back. A man read the article and contacted us to say his daughter had found it and they wanted to return it.

“His wife then rang a little later to apologise they hadn’t already returned it. I am just overwhelmed by happiness that I am getting it back at all.”

The jewellery had been lost and found in Foyleside Shopping Centre on Wednesday. Inside the locket were photographs of two of Angela’s four sons, Oran and Ciaron.

Ciaron passed away on August 12, 2003, when he was just seven weeks old.

The locket was given to his mother from his father, Ronnie, as a Christmas present that December.

“I ‘ve worn it religiously every day since then ,” said Angela “ I was lost without it. My other two sons Rion, 4 and Ruairi, 6, always ask me about it.

“I tell them that this was their brother, Ciaron.

“Ciaron was diagnosed with Mardon-Walker Syndrome. His organs were all underdeveloped, too small and he struggled to breath on his own. We were told to have him christened quickly but the hours turned to days and the days turned to weeks. We had seven weeks with Ciaron and I remember every single second of those seven weeks. The locket was a constant reminder of our time with him.

“When I lost it I was devastated. I wouldn’t be a jewellery person but I did wear that every day so I was lost without it.”

Angela who works at North West Joinery in Sheriff’s Mountain said: “I just want to say to the man that returned it, thank you so much, you really have made my Christmas.”