With pain etched on their faces, the family of murdered British soldier Lee Rigby today paid an emotional visit to the scene where he was hacked to death.
Drummer Rigby's mother Lyn, stepfather Ian and estranged wife Rebecca looked at the thousands of tributes in Woolwich and left a balloon from his two-year-old son Jack saying 'Dad in a million'.
The relatives arrived at the place where he was killed at 12.40pm. They hugged and comforted each other before crossing the road to look at the spot where he was murdered on Wednesday.
One clutched a teddy bear, while others held baskets of flowers which they left at the scene. They then spent a few moments in reflection, still clutching each other.
And among the masses of poignant messages left in south-east London, one very personal message was placed separately yesterday. Aimee West, his fiancée, laid flowers with a handwritten note.
Mascot: Lyn Rigby, mother of Drummer Lee Rigby, holds a teddy bear and stands with other family members
Reflective: Family members of Drummer Rigby leave after they looked at floral tributes in Woolwich
AIMEE'S TRIBUTE TO LEE
'My gorgeous, wonderful, loving fiance you will always have my heart and I know you will always be my guardian angel watching over me. Rest in peace baby. All my love forever and ever, your Princess xxxx'
Rigby, 25, was killed last Wednesday near to his barracks in Woolwich, south-east London.
The two men who are alleged to have committed the crime, who have been identified as Michael Adebolajo, 28, and Michael Oluwatobi Adebowale, remain in hospital after being shot by police after charging at officers in the aftermath.
A friend of Miss West, who serves as a Royal Military Policewoman, told the Sunday Mirror: 'They met about two years ago and he proposed to her recently. I don’t think she will ever take that ring off.
On Friday, his mother Lyn, stepfather Ian and estranged wife Rebecca, took part in an similarly emotional press conference where they paid a glowing tribute to a man who 'would do anything for anybody.'
Mrs Rigby - with whom he had a son, Jack - revealed last Friday that she and her husband were due to meet at the weekend to discuss their future, before his life was cut short.
His death has sparked a public outpouring of grief, with hundreds of bunches of flowers, teddy bears, poems and tributes to the father of one left near the scene of the crime by Woolwich Barracks.
Many of the tributes came from veterans, fellow service personnel and their families. One notecard left at the scene said: 'To a brave young soldier, God bless, rest in peace, from an old soldier.'
Mrs Rigby - with whom he had a son, Jack - revealed last Friday that she and her husband were due to meet at the weekend to discuss their future, before his life was cut short.
His death has sparked a public outpouring of grief, with hundreds of bunches of flowers, teddy bears, poems and tributes to the father of one left near the scene of the crime by Woolwich Barracks.
Many of the tributes came from veterans, fellow service personnel and their families. One notecard left at the scene said: 'To a brave young soldier, God bless, rest in peace, from an old soldier.'
Backing: Members of Britain's Nigerian community gave support to Drummer Rigby's family. The two suspects in the killing, Michael Adebolajo and Michael Adebowale, both have family links with Nigeria. Adebolajo was born in Britain to a Nigerian immigrant family and Adebowale is a naturalised British citizen born in Nigeria
No comments:
Post a Comment