Families united in grief

BEING separated by 17,000km has not stopped the Morcombe and McCann families from being close. The families are united by the grief of losing a child.

British parents Kate and Gerry McCann have searched for their daughter Madeleine since she was abducted from their Portuguese hotel room on May 3, 2007. Bruce and Denise Morcombe have exchanged emails with the McCanns for years, sharing their heartache about the alleged murder of their son Daniel.

Yesterday was no different when Mr and Mrs Morcombe sent their British friends an email to say they were close to finding “Danny”.

The four parents met in person for the first time two months ago.

After years of exchanging emails at birthdays and Christmas, the Morcombe and McCann families shared a meal in “a typical English pub” at Stratford upon Avon in June.

“We were in the same club,” Mrs Morcombe said. “The kind of club no one wants to join.”

Mr Morcombe said their three-hour meeting felt like 10 minutes.

“The warmth they had for us was like somebody we’d known for a long, long time,” Mr Morcombe said.

“It was almost like a school reunion and yet we’d never met.

“I think that is the bond – it is something very tragic and incredibly rare as well.

“There was very much mutual respect for each other’s position.”

The Morcombes later spent a night at the McCann family home at Leicester when they passed back through the area.

There were striking similarities between the two families, including the fact that both were made up of an elder child and younger twins.

Four-year-old Madeleine is the older sister of twins Sean and Amelie.

Daniel has a twin brother, Bradley, and older brother Dean.

Mr Morcombe said a stark difference they had from the McCanns was the global scrutiny the British family had faced about accusations that they were involved in their daughter’s disappearance.

Mr and Mrs McCann were listed as suspects for four months after their daughter went missing. They were later cleared of that allegation.

The Morcombes were supported nationwide as soon as their story spread in December, 2003.

“We’ve never had any scrutiny in the media regarding accusations that we were in any way involved,” Mr Morcombe said.

“Clearly that is a marked difference with (the McCanns).

“They were quite moved and dumbfounded as to how they’ve ended up in what looks like a relatively similar abduction case that has been globally questioned.

“They were genuinely shocked that there was such a marked contrast in the two cases.”

Language barriers and movements between European countries probably hindered their campaign, Mr Morcombe said.

“Even in those early weeks we were canvassing support within a 300km radius,” he said.

“We’re doing the same stuff as you guys, we just didn’t have the complications of the political barriers and language barriers and I suppose even monetary barriers.”

Mr Morcombe said he was still trying to comprehend the weekend’s breakthrough.

“Here we are, two-and-a-half days later, and we’re still coming to terms with someone being charged with murder,” Mr Morcombe said. “It’s good news but it’s terrible news. I can’t find a word to describe the space we’re in.

“But I’m sure at the end of the day we should see it as good news.

“It’s very definite news and that’s the difficult thing we wrestle with.

“(The McCanns) will be very pleased with the advancements in the search and no doubt they hope that it brings us closer to finding Danny.”

Among the 3000 emails the Morcombes have received is a message from former NSW deputy fire commissioner Ken Thompson, who last year tracked down his six-year-old son in Amsterdam after he was abducted by his mother.

“We’ve never had any ... accusations that we were involved. That is a marked difference with (the McCanns).”


http://www.coolum-news.com.au/story/2011/08/17/families-united-in-grief-morcombe-mccann/

Again all about the McScreamers and hardly anything about Daniel, not even his age.

Carly1979 posted an article about this case a few days ago. Daniel was 13; a man has recently been charged in connection with his disappearance though his body has yet to be found. By attaching herself again to a blameless victim, Kate wants us to think that she comes into the same category.

Yep. worse than a leech, at least those have some use in the medical world.

Brings back memories of this.

"Kate and Gerry McCann have been threatened with legal action by the father of missing five-year-old girl after they included her in a poster campaign appealing for information about Madeleine's disappearance.
The campaign was launched last week and thousands of A3 prints have been sent to schools, churches, restaurants and public places in Spain and Portugal in a bid to keep the disappearance of the missing children in the public eye.
The posters have a picture of Madeleine side-by-side with one of Mari Luz Cortes, a Spanish girl who went missing on January 13, 120 miles from the Portuguese resort of Praia da Luz - where Madeleine disappeared last May

The 17,400 posters were to be displayed today and carry the headline No Nos Olvideis - Spanish for "Don't forget us".
Portuguese police looking for Madeleine and the McCann's own private investigators Metado 3 have looked at both cases in connection with her disappearance.
But Mari Luz's father Juan Jose Cortes insists he was not asked for permission to use her picture by the McCanns and is angry his daughter has been included in the campaign.
The former footballer has consulted lawyers and says he may take legal action against the McCanns for using his daughter's picture without permission. He also plans to make a formal complaint to the British Embassy in Madrid.
Mr Cortes, now a builder, told a press conference in Spain on Sunday he does not want the cases to be linked by the posters.
"They are two totally distinct cases, with two completely different lines of investigation," said Mr Cortes, 34.
He added last night: "I can't understand why they didn't contact us. The only contact we had was right at the start when the McCann's friends in Metodo 3 passed on a message of support.
"We have never since had any further contact from them.
"I am aware that they requested Yeremi Vargas' parents's permission to use his image, why would they just presume they had our permission too, why didn't they ask us?
"The three cases are distinct, they are not connected, I don't understand why they are associating them.
"We are consulting with our lawyers about possible legal action."

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-515636/McCanns-slammed-father-missing-Spanish-girl-putting-Madeleine-poster-daughter.html

It is just a pity they didn't SUE the McCanns

Yes Kate looks sad

Further to the earlier comments on this subject, I've been looking at the website which Daniel's parents set up - www.danielmorcombe.com.au - after his disappearance. This is a genuine example of a project set up after a sad event with the aim of helping other people. Now compare it with the McCann site and list the differences!

Marian wrote:Now compare it with the McCann site and list the differences!

I can't see an online shop where people can buy tshirts, good quality wristbands, mobile phone downloads or holiday travelling packs.

The site now seems to be overloaded but I think that will be due to the sad news that the remains of Daniel have been identified rather than a great rush of members from here. To be fair, there is an online shop but the proceeds are for the good of the general community, not just for the ambiguous needs of the family involved.

The McCanns are still being uncharacteristically quiet. I thought they would have issued a statement in sympathy with the Morcombes by now. It's like when children go quiet all of a sudden - you know they must be up to something they shouldn't!

I see on the Morcombes' website they offer FREE DVDs. The McCann "good quality wristbands" aren't free neither are their "holiday packs".

Gillyspot wrote:I see on the Morcombes' website they offer FREE DVDs. The McCann "good quality wristbands" aren't free neither are their "holiday packs".

Gillyspot - 'quality' costs and they NEED money to SEARCH for Madeleine. These free DVDs may not be 'quality' - they could be utter crap!!!! I note that some items on the Madeleine website are 'out of stock' - whether that means they are still having lots of sales, or that the online shop is effectively closed I don't know.

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I note that some items on the Madeleine website are 'out of stock' - whether that means they are still having lots of sales, or that the online shop is effectively closed I don't know.

[/quote]



I think maybe some items never existed, judging from recent requests from fans on the cult website to have their orders fulfilled. Anyone leaving a message to say they had not received items they had paid for was told to send an email. There appeared to be quite a few customers waiting weeks for such things as travel packs. Have you ever seen anyone in real life wearing a good quality wristband, for example? I haven't, not even by the most gullible people I know (and that includes members of my own family I am sorry to say, who have swallowed the abduction story hook, line and sinker!) Yet you see loads of people wearing ones for genuine causes.

My cousin (not a McCann supporter I hasten to add) recently ordered a wristband to see if goods are being delivered. It took a while but it did turn up. We thought it would be more like a bracelet but I suppose the word band is a clue - it is like a thick elastic band! It has the website address on it and the LOOK logo - you know, that eye defect that they never made much of.



It would be interesting to know if there are still lots of orders coming in but I don't suppose we'll ever know that.