|
Her parents, Gerry and Kate, are close friends with islanders
Steve and Lottie Evans, who today broke their silence to
help support the international search. Until now the couple,
who have known the McCanns for 12 years, have kept a low
profile to shield their own children – Joel, 7, and Noah, 3.
The boys are good friends with Madeleine and her family, who
stayed with them during a half-term visit to the island only
last October.
Six months later, on another family holiday in Portugal, Maddy
was snatched from their villa in Praia da Luz, sparking a
worldwide hunt for her abductors.
‘We are devastated at what has happened to Madeleine, but we were
torn as we wanted to protect our own children from the story
as much as we could,’ explained Mrs Evans.
‘Joel has an idea of what is going on. He thinks Maddy got up out
of bed and is lost. Now someone else loves her so much they
want to keep her.
‘
Noah is not as aware. He keeps seeing her picture on the Town
Church and asking why Madeleine’s photo is there. Then he
asks when is she is going to come back to Guernsey to bake
cakes with him.’
The couple have been in regular contact with Kate and Gerry since
the story broke on 3 May.
Steve, a consultant at the Medical Specialist Group, and Gerry,
also a doctor, have been friends since they first worked
together in Napier, New Zealand.
Lottie, who is a nurse, had gone there with her husband and when
Kate went over to work there as a doctor and met Gerry, the
four became firm friends.
After their return, they kept in touch with the McCanns and their
children, including twins Sean and Amelie, who first came to
Guernsey when they were four months old in 2005. Madeleine
is said to have particularly loved the beach at Vazon.
‘Today, Gerry and Kate are never far from our minds,’ said Mrs
Evans.
‘We have texted them lots and called them. I think both Steve and
I try not to think too much about Madeleine because it
doesn’t bear thinking about. We are trying to think about
Gerry and Kate instead.’
Article posted on 20th June, 2007 - 12.00am |
