KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 9 — The parents of Irish teenager with specials needs, Nora Anne Quoirin, 15, have opened up for the first time and shared their daughter’s story as her disappearance enters its day six today.
Nora Anne’s parents, Sebastian Quoirin and Meabh Quoirin, in a statement today described their daughter as a very special person who is fun, funny and extremely loving.
They said Nora Anne was extremely excited about her family holiday in Malaysia.
“Family is her whole world and she loves to play games, like Cat Bingo, with us. She likes to tell us silly jokes and wear clever, colourful T-shirts.
“She is not like other teenagers. She is not independent and does not go anywhere alone,” they said in a statement issued on their behalf by Matthew Searle, the chief executive of the Lucie Blackman Trust, a charity which works with British nationals facing overseas crisis.
Sebastian and Meabh said their daughter Nora was born with Holoprosencephaly, which in simple terms means that she has a smaller brain.
“All her life she has spent a lot of time in hospital. When she was born, she needed operations to help her breathing. She has specialists that monitor her growth, her physical abilities and her strength, and especially her mental capacity.
“Nora has always needed dedicated specialist educational provision, and now attends a school for children and young people with learning and communication difficulties,” they shared.
The parents said while Nora can read like a young child, she is unable to write more than a few words.
“She has a good memory but she cannot understand anything conceptual. She is unable to do maths... so things like money are impossible to manage.
“She cannot make or receive phone calls independently.
“Nora is very sensitive. Outside the family, Nora is very shy and can be quite anxious. Every night, her special time is for cuddles and a night-time story with her mum.”
Sebastian and Meabh said Nora is very proud that she can speak French as well as English. But her verbal communication is limited.
“She can wash and dress herself, though she cannot manage buttons, and struggles to wash her hair.
“At school, she is learning to ride a bicycle properly. Nora likes to walk with her family, but her balance is limited and she struggles with coordination.
“She has been to Asia, and many European countries before, and has never wandered off or got lost,” they said.
The parents also thanked Malaysian police and all rescue team involved in the search operation.
The family asked everyone to keep Nora Anne in their thoughts, and to continue to support the ongoing search for her.
Nora Anne arrived in Negri Sembilan with her parents and two other siblings on Saturday, August 4 for a two-week holiday at The Dusun, before she was found missing by her family at 8am the following day.
Police confirmed yesterday she exited the Sora house at The Dusun via an aluminium glass window.
Investigators believe that Nora is still within the jungle vicinity despite claims by the Orang Asli community that she was no longer in the surrounding area, where search efforts are currently ongoing.
Yesterday, the police used a voice recording of her mother in hopes of coaxing Nora to come towards the search team as the police said she could be hiding in fear.
Each team from the search and rescue operation has been equipped with a bullhorn, while some are even using their phones to play the recording in the jungle.
The words expressed in the recording are: “Nora darling, I love you... mum is here. Mum is here, Nora darling, my love.”
