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2019 New US Ambassador To Ireland Meets Parents Of Anastasia Kriegel

3rd, With President Higgins Thank Community For Support
July

| dward Crawford has begun
histermastheUSambassador
EXAMINER EtoIreland.

Mr Crawford presented his
credentials to President Michael

IRISH D Higgins at a ceremony on
Monday, officially assuming the
office of United States ambassa-
dor to Ireland.
“I am deeply honored to
serve in this role,” said ambassa-
dor Crawford, whose parents
emigrated from Ireland in the lars and 8,000 associates world- the city’s Irish-American com-
1920s. wide. munity.
“When I was a young boy, He is the recipient of the Mr Crawford also is an avid The parents of murdered schoolgirl Anastasia Kriegel have
my parents instilled in me a Northeast Ohio Business Hall of sportsman. He is an active thanked the community for the “wonderful” support shown to
deep love and sense of connec- Fame Entrepreneurial Award, member of Masters Basketball, them since their daughter’s death.
tion to Ireland. Small Business News Master a Golden Gloves boxer and has Hundreds of people attended a tree planting ceremony on
“As ambassador, I plan to Innovator Award, Ernst & run in the Boston Marathon. Saturday in memory of the 14-year-old, who was killed in May
build on our important relation- Young Northeast Ohio Mr Crawford traveled to last year.
ship and strengthen the bonds Entrepreneur of the Year Ireland following his confirma- Geraldine and Patric Kriegel chose to plant a white cherry
between our two countries.” Award, and the Small Business tion by the US Senate on June blossom tree in memory of their daughter, who was known as
Prior to his appointment, he Administration Man of the 13. Ana, at Leixlip Manor hotel in Co Kildare.
founded and served as chairman Year-Ohio Award. He and his wife Mary have Mrs Kriegel said it was lovely that they would now have a
and CEO of Park-Ohio He has a long history of phi- one son, Matthew, who is mar- “special place to remember Ana”.
Industries, an international lanthropy and entrepreneurship ried to Deborah, and three “Ana used to love coming here with Patric for lunch during
industrial enterprise with annu- in Cleveland, Ohio, where has grandchildren, Colin, Catherine the school holidays and was disappointed when it closed,” she
al revenues of two billion dol- been active for many years in and Claire. C
said.
“Shortly before she died she discovered it had reopened as
Leixlip Manor and she was delighted and said to Patric: ‘Papa we
need to go to the hotel for lunch again like we used to’.
“She never made it for lunch but she’s here in spirit now. So
let’s remember that and come back and spend a few moments
with her from time to time.”
A plaque was also unveiled to pay tribute to Ana, whose body
was found in an abandoned farmhouse in Lucan, Co Dublin, in
May 2018 after she had been reported missing by her parents.
Two 14-year-old boys were found guilty earlier this month of
her murder.
Both boys have been granted anonymity due to their age, and
were referred to as Boy A and Boy B throughout the trial.
Boy A was also found guilty of aggravated sexual assault.
The teenagers are the youngest convicted killers in the history
of the state.
Ana was born in Russia in February 2004, and adopted by Mr
and Mrs Kriegel at the age of two-and-a-half.
She grew up in the Leixlip area in Co Kildare and in many
ways was a typical teenage girl who loved to listen to music and
sing.
She was a very talented, strong swimmer and gymnast.
At 5ft 8in Ana was tall and strong, a “typical Siberian”, as her
mother described her.
But the first year student also suffered horrific bullying and
was endlessly tormented in the months leading up to her death.
She was targeted on social media through her Snapchat and
YouTube accounts.
On the first day of the murder trial Mrs Kriegel told the court
that her daughter was very vulnerable and despite looking older
than her 14 years, she was a “child on the inside”.
“She was very immature. She looked so much older, but inside
she was younger, far younger than her youth,” Mrs Kriegel said.
After the verdict, Mr Kriegel told media that their daughter
Ana was “our strength”.
Her mother said: “Ana was a dream come true for us, and she
always will be. “She’ll stay in our hearts forever loved and forev-
er cherished. “We love you, Ana.” C