Paisley colleague dies of human 'mad cow disease'
A member of Ian Paisley’s Democratic Unionist Party has become the second Northern Ireland person to die of the human form of mad cow disease, it emerged today.
Newtownabbey councillor Andrew Hunter, who was diagnosed with variant Cruetzfeldt Jakob Disease (vCJD) in January, died at his home at Rathcoole on the northern outskirts of Belfast on Friday.
The 27-year-old, who was regarded as a bright political prospect, was elected to Newtownabbey Borough Council last June.
He also worked in the constituency office of North Belfast MP Nigel Dodds during the Westminister campaign.
Dr Paisley said he would be sadly missed within the party.
‘‘This has been a terrible blow to his wife and to his family and to his friends and to the party and we are all just heartbroken about this matter,’’ he said.
Mr Hunter, who is survived by his wife Nicola and two children, John and Rebecca, was first diagnosed with the deadly brain illness after tests at Holywell Hospital in Antrim and the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast.
The first person from the Province to contract vCJD was 30-year-old Maurice Callaghan from West Belfast, who died in 1995, leaving a wife, who was pregnant with their second child, and a daughter.
DUP colleague and Deputy Mayor of Newtownabbey Paul Girvan was at the family home at the time of Mr Hunter’s death.
He said: ‘‘We are all just in total shock at the moment. Even though we had been preparing ourselves for this for some time it is still completely mind-numbing,’’ he said.
