This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2017, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Though Melissa Cochran — a West Bountiful woman who broke her leg and lost her husband in a London terrorist attack last month — is back home recovering, former high school classmates are continuing fundraising efforts.
Melissa Cochran's husband, Kurt, was among four victims killed in the attack on March 22 when they were struck by a vehicle on Westminster Bridge.
Cochran spent weeks recovering in a British hospital and was honored by the royal family at a memorial service for victims and their families. According to her brother, Clint Payne, she was cleared by the hospital to fly home early last week.
"She's been doing pretty well," Payne said of his sister's recovery Thursday. Being back in her home and surrounded by family has been "a big boost" for her, he said.
"As far as healing, we're happy with how things are going," Payne said, though it's been "very hard" emotionally to have lost her husband.
"She's always been such an optimistic person with a positive attitude," he said of his sister. "She misses him terribly, you know. She's not smiling all the time, but she knows that with the help of her family and her friends, she'll get through it."
Schoolmates from Cochran's Viewmont High School class of 1989 have shown "love and concern" for her by arranging fundraisers at restaurants along the Wasatch Front over the course of several nights, beginning Monday. Details of dates, times and locations of fundraisers can be found on the Facebook event page. Classmates have also arranged a raffle May 1 for prizes donated from local businesses.
Cochran is "so grateful for everyone's help," Payne said, adding that she feels "a little awkward being in the spotlight."
An online fundraising campaign for Cochran raised just over $83,500 in 28 days, at which point she requested it be closed to "encourage supporters to donate to others who are in need from more recent tragedies," her brother wrote on the page.
She's someone who is "selfless and giving," he said, and she wants to make sure that everyone who needs help gets it.
Twitter: @mnoblenews