Leila Abdallah thanks community for restoring memorial
Leila and Danny Abdallah have thanked the community after the desecrated memorial for the four children who lost their lives in the Oatlands crash was restored.
After the memorial was torn down by a vandal, Leila Adballah said it felt like a “knife was put in my heart”.
The simple memorial included framed photos of her children Anthony, 13, Angelina, 12, and Sienna Abdallah, nine, as well as their cousin Veronique Sakr, 11 that were hung on a fence in the Sydney suburb after their deaths in February last year.
On Sunday morning, the memorial - which is the only public memento to the children - was found desecrated, with the photos ripped off the fence.
“Somebody had the nerve to strip down my kids’ pictures and strip down the temporary memorial on Bettington Rd where the kids passed away,” Leila Abdallah said on Instagram.
“Obviously they didn’t have the courage to do it in the day. It was done at night,” she continued.
“All over Australia there are memorials in honour of people that have died in car accidents and I have never heard of anyone attempting to get rid of them.
“It disappoints me that the person wouldn’t have the decency to reach out and talk to me.
“It’s public space and we are allowed to have it there. This is the last memory I have with my children.
“Memorial or no memorial that place will always be reminded of those beautiful children having their lives cut short.”
Abdallah said she hopes a permanent memorial will be built in the near future.
Her husband, Danny, was seen at the memorial on Sunday restoring it.
By Monday, the memorial had been restored to its former glory and had been adorned with numerous flower bouquets.
The mourning parents thanked the community for their support.
“Thank you for your love and support,” Leila said on social media on Monday afternoon.
“The Abdallah, Sakr, and Kassass family are blessed to have you all in our lives.
“No matter what you go through, walk a peaceful path and God will do the rest.”
She concluded: “Stay loving, forgiving, and resilient.”