American tourist visited Mayo before Westminster attack

MAYO VISIT The late Kurt Cochran and his wife Melissa are pictured during their recent visit to Ashford Castle.

Anton McNulty

AN American tourist who was killed during the Westminster terror attack in London last Wednesday had visited Ashford Castle as part of a European tour to celebrate his wedding anniversary.
Fifty-four-year-old Kurt Cochran from Utah was walking along Westminster Bridge in London with his wife Melissa when they were struck by the car driven by Khalid Masood. Mr Cochran was fatally wounded in the incident, while Melissa was seriously injured.
Their first trip abroad together, the couple were celebrating their 25th anniversary and were on their final day of their tour of Europe before returning to the United States. During the tour, they had stayed in Ashford Castle in Cong for a number of nights before moving onto Germany and then London.
A picture of the couple smiling outside Ashford Castle during their stay in Ireland has been widely used in media outlets following the death of Mr Cochran.
In a statement, the family of Kurt and Melissa said they were deeply saddened by the death of Kurt but added that Melissa’s health was improving.
“This has been a humbling and difficult experience, but we’ve felt the love of so many people during these past several days. It has been a tender experience for our family to be together with Melissa here. Her health is steadily improving and she has been strengthened by the presence of her family.
“The most difficult part of all of this is that Kurt is no longer with us, and we miss him terribly. He was an amazing individual who loved everyone and tried to make the world a better place. He left a legacy of generosity and service that continues to inspire us.
“We are deeply saddened to lose him but are grateful that the world is coming to know him and be inspired by him,” the statement read.
Mr Cochran owned a recording studio and was one of three people, including a police officer, who were killed by Khalid Masood when he drove at pedestrians walking along Westminster bridge before abandoning his car and killing PC Keith Palmer.
A Ballina native was among the hundreds of MPs and staff working in the House of Parliament who were in lockdown following the attack. Claire Tighe from Carrowtrelia, Ballina, is the manager of the SDLP’s Westminster office. She was on lunch when the attacker struck.