Terror victim in a ‘critical’ condition
Nov 29 2008 by Chris Robinson, The Journal
A NORTH man seriously injured during the Mumbai terrorist attacks was last night in a critical but stable condition.
Mike Murphy and his wife Diane, from Bardon Mill, Northumberland, were just a day into their holiday in the Indian city when gunmen stormed the tourist area.
Mr Murphy, 59, a retired teacher, was injured by a bullet in the ribs as the couple were caught up in the gunfire outside the popular Leopold cafe.
The father-of-three was rushed to St George’s Hospital, after beginning to slip out of consciousness, with his wife by his side.
He had to have had his spleen removed and last night was still in intensive care in a “critical, but stable condition”.
Mrs Murphy, 58, also a retired teacher, was also shot and suffered injuries to her foot.
Last night, the well-known couple’s children said they had been left devastated by the news. Their parents were four weeks into a five-week tour of the country when the attacks took place.
In a statement, the couple’s children, Graham, 31, Colin, 24, and Heather 23, said that the last three days had been an “extremely difficult” time for them.
They also released a picture of the couple which was taken earlier this year sitting at an outdoor cafe sharing an exotic drink.
Last night, the three updated The Journal on their parent’s condition, saying: “Our father is in a critical but stable condition in hospital and our mother is injured.”
Mr Murphy – until retiring last year – worked part-time as a teacher at Haydon Bridge High School while his wife was a teacher at Lowgate Primary School, near Haydon Bridge.
The father-of-three was also warden of Ridley Hall, an education training centre, which also looks after the high school’s boarding pupils. Clive Booth, manager of the training unit at Ridley Hall, said he had worked with Mr Murphy for around 15 years.
He added: “He was a keen outdoor sportsman, who enjoyed mountaineering, skiing and jogging around the grounds of Ridley Hall. Mike is a keen traveller and used to travel quite a bit. He is very friendly and gregarious guy.”
