Madeleine McCann’s grandmother Eileen who ‘never gave up hope’ her granddaughter would be found has died from a coronavirus-related illness.
Eileen McCann, aged 80, passed away last month just weeks before German police broke the bombshell news that they believe Madeleine is dead and are now investigating a new prime suspect over her abduction and murder.
Widow Eileen – one of Madeleine’s devoted grans and Gerry’s mother – said shortly after her granddaughter was snatched in 2007: ‘When I lost my husband John two years ago I thought that my world had collapsed. But losing Madeleine is ten times worse.’
Madeleine McCann’s grandmother Eileen, right, who ‘never gave up hope’ her granddaughter would be found has died from a coronavirus-related illness (left: Madeleine’s aunt, Diane)
The former shop assistant and cleaner from Glasgow, who spent many months in Portugal’s Praia da Luz supporting and comforting her devastated son, Kate and their toddler twins Sean and Amelie after the kidnap, said at the time: ‘As long as they don’t find her body, I’ll never give up hope. When we do finally get her home she’ll have so much love and hugs from us all.’
Along with family members, Eileen was a stalwart for launching a global campaign to keep Madeleine’s disappearance in the global spotlight and find her abductor.
Eileen’s wish, and that of Kate’s parents, retired joiner Brian and former teacher Susan Healy from Liverpool, was for them all to learn the fate of their adored grandchild before their own life’s end.
Heart doctor Gerry and ex GP turned medical worker Kate, both 52, of Rothley, Leicestershire, are understood to have attended Eileen’s small funeral amidst Covid-19 social distancing restrictions in St Coval’s, East Renfrewshire.
Gerry has confirmed his mother’s death to the family spokesman but relatives do not wish to comment. Kate’s uncle Brian Kennedy told MailOnline: ‘We do not wish to comment on private family matters.’
A source close to the couple said: ‘It is yet another tragedy for the family and people who know them will be very sorry to hear. But is is a private family matter and Kate and Gerry do not wish to discuss it.’
Eileen, right, pictured during a vigil in Glasgow for Madeleine, left. The grandmother was a stalwart for launching a campaign to keep Madeleine’s disappearance in the global spotlight
Kate and Gerry McCann pose with a computer-generated image of how their missing daughter Madeleine might look during a news conference in London in May 2012
Family spokesman Clarence Mitchell added: ‘The family will definitely not be commenting on a private family matter.’
Mother-of-five Eileen, who hails from Donegal, Ireland, was a driving force along with two of her three daughters Philomena and Tricia and son John in campaigning to find Madeleine.
She and family members were happy to conduct media interviews to help keep the youngster’s disappearance in the media headlines in a bid to track down her kidnapper.
She had previously told of her belief that her ‘hyperactive’ and inquisitive grand daughter was drugged to stop her screaming out before she was snatched.
She said: ‘There is no way they carried her out of there without her awakening. If she was taken when she was sleeping by somebody she did not know, she would have screamed the place down.’
Three-year-old Madeleine had been left sleeping alone with her younger twin siblings while her parents were dining in a nearby tapas restaurant with pals whilst taking it in turns to make half hourly checks on the kids.
Christian Brueckner, above, has been named as a prime suspect in the disappearance
Eileen was convinced Madeleine’s abductor struck at his first opportunity after closely monitoring the family’s footsteps during their stay at a luxury poolside complex.
She said: ‘I really believe that whoever took her gave her a drug first to stop her screaming and raising the alarm. Without a doubt, I believe the person who carried Madeleine out of the room that night had sedated her first. She is not the type of child to go off with a stranger.
‘She’s always been chatty and hyperactive at times but she’s not one of these children who talks to anyone, she needs to get to know someone first.’
Tough-talking Eileen has always been a fierce critic of the doubters who have continually slammed her son and daughter-in-law for leaving their children alone and wrongly believing they were responsible for their eldest child’s disappearance.
Portuguese police had worked on a theory that the McCann’s had accidentally killed their daughter with an overdose of sedatives to calm her down after a previous unsettled night and later hidden then disposed of her body.
Kate and Gerry were made suspects – ‘arguidos’- in Madeleine’s disappearance by the Policia Judiciaria in September 2007, four months after she had vanished but were later cleared on any suspicion of wrongdoing.
Eileen defended the couple not choosing to use the resort’s babysitting service, saying: ‘They don’t like leaving the children with strangers. It wasn’t something they did very often – they have a nanny at home whom they trust. They’re normal parents who love their children and would never neglect them in any way. Any suggestion they were neglecting them is completely insulting.’
In a heart-wrenching interview when the McCann’s made their painful return home to the UK without Madeleine, Eileen told how Kate collapsed in tears in her daughter’s bedroom.
She said: ‘Kate needed to go into Madeleine’s room as soon as she got back. She wanted some time alone there. It was very traumatic for Kate. I can’t imagine how sad she must have felt. Madeleine’s clothes and toys were just the way they had been left.
German Federal Police have released a photo of a Volkswagen camper van, used by a suspect who may be connected to the disappearance of Madeleine 13 years ago
Police have also released a picture of a Jaguar which was used by Brueckner in Praia da Luz, Portugal, by a suspect who may be involved in the disappearance of Madeleine
German Federal Criminal Police Office handed out a photo, above, showing a house in Algarve, Portugal, that was used by the German man suspected to be linked to the disappearance
‘Kate believes Madeleine is still alive and I imagine said a little prayer for her.’ She told how daughter Trish had called her saying: ‘Kate’s in Madeleine’s room. She’s really upset.’
Eileen, who had been in Portugal with the family but had flown back to Scotland, had earlier witnessed Kate’s despair at the airport, saying: ‘She was really distressed and kept saying she didn’t think she’d be going back without Madeleine.
‘We kept hugging and kissing and I said to her ‘Be strong.’ She kept saying ‘But I’m going back without Madeleine’ and I told her: ‘You have to think about the twins now.’
Over the past 13 years Eileen has continued to be a tower of strength to her son and Kate and the family have frequently got together, more recently in Scotland.
German police, being assisted by Scotland Yard, are investigating convicted rapist Christian Brueckner over Madeleine’s kidnap and murder. Detectives are convinced she is dead and say they know how she was killed but have no idea where her body is.
Despite 600 new tips off – 400 to the Met Police and 200 to German Police – following a high profile appeal for information no charges have yet been brought against the 43-year-old German suspect.
He is currently in prison for raping an American pensioner and has now been moved to his own cell over fears for his safety.
Kate and Gerry welcome the significant breakthrough but say until a body is found they will ‘continue to hope’ Madeleine could still be alive.