Soldier's death attracts world's attention
Their story was featured on Good Morning America on Thursday morning. In less than a week, they've been interviewed by every news outlet from local television to the Irish Times.
National and international media attention has helped to spotlight the mysterious death of Army National Guard Spc. Ciara Durkin, who was found dead on Friday of a single bullet wound to the head.
But it's a double-edged sword. As the media maelstorm reaches epic proportions, the heartbroken family has arranged with a public relations company to help get a rein on things so that they can have some time to grieve.
"We have to deal with all the stress of planning the funeral. We're not doing any more interviews. It's overwhelming," said a beleaguered-sounding Fiona Canavan, one of Ciara's older sisters, when she answered the phone on Thursday afternoon, before telling a reporter that Sen. John Kerry had set them up with the publicist and referring all calls to them.
"The family is grateful for the attention of the media and the elected officials - Kerry, Delahunt, Kennedy - who have worked so hard to help them," said Justine Griffin of Rasky Baerlein Strategic Communications. "But it has been overwhelming. The phones ringing at their houses have been unrelenting."
Family members, through the media and elected officials, have been pushing for answers in Ciara's death, saying she had told them that if anything happened to her to investigate it. Canavan has said previously that her sister said she had "discovered some things" and "made enemies because of it."
The family, through the PR firm, released a statement Thursday, saying that Army investigators had met with them on Wednesday night.
"The family is confident that the Army is conducting a thorough investigation of Ciara's death and intends to give the Army time to complete its inquiry," the statement said.
On Thursday morning, family members drove under a police motorcycle escort to Hanscom Air Force Base to retrieve the soldier's body. They were accompanied by Quincy Mayor William Phelan, Police Chief Robert Crowley and the city's veterans' services director, retired 1st Sgt. Henry P. Bradley of the U.S. Army Reserve.
Troops at the base stood outside at attention as a Patriot Honor Guard led the flag-draped coffin toward the waiting hearse, pausing briefly to let family members lay their hands on it.
"It was one of the most moving tributes I've ever seen,'' Bradley said. "Once the hearse started to move with the escort, the troops were lined probably a little over a mile on both sides of the street, saluting the hearse as it went by.''
The wake for Ciara Durkin will be held from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. tonight at Dennis Sweeney Funeral Home, 74 Elm St., Quincy. A funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Saturday at St. John the Baptist Church, 44 School St., Quincy.
Patriot Ledger reporter John Kelly contributed to this story. Diana Schoberg may be reached at dschoberg@ledger.com.