By Lucy Caulkett-
Families of the victims of the Grenfell Tower fire have paid tribute to their loved ones killed in what Sir Martin Moore- Bick described as an ”unimaginable horror”.
Family members of all 72 victims will be allowed to make a statement with no time limit put on the time they spend making it.
Marcio Gomes paid tribute to their “beautiful, sleeping angel” on the opening day of a public inquiry into the blaze.
Marcio Gomes explained how he, his wife Andreia, and their daughters fled their flat on the 21st floor, only for their unborn son Logan to die later that night before he could be delivered.
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He spoke as an image was projected onto a screen of Mr Gomes cradling Logan’s body. He told the inquiry how he was “wishing and praying for any kind of miracle, he would open his eyes, move or make a sound”. As we know, that never happened,” he added.
Tearful Mr Gomes and his wife, Andrei explained how “everything was ready” for Logan’s birth, which was due on 21 August.
His nursery had been decorated with a poster on the wall reading: “Twinkle twinkle little star, do you know how loved you are”, Mr Gomes said.
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The family had planned to go to Disneyland in summer 2018, Mr Gomes said, adding that his daughters were already discussing which football team the baby would support.
Logan’s sisters “didn’t care about the nursery, they wanted him to sleep with them in their beds and take care of him,” Mr Gomes said.
“We are proud of him, even though he was only with us for seven months, he is always going to be with us,” Mr Gomes said, hugging his wife.
“You don’t know what you are made of until you are broken. My wife is made of the hardest material I know and without her strength and courage I would not be here.”
Tottenham MP David Lammy appeared alongside the family of Mary Mendy, 54, and her daughter Khadija Saye, 24, who were at home in their flat on the 20th floor of the tower on the night of the fire.the statement read on behalf of Ms Saye’s father described the 24-year-old as “very gentle, very kind and friendly”.
The family played a clip of a BBC documentary about Ms Saye and her photographs, which were exhibited at the prestigious Venice Biennale.
In the film, Ms Saye reflects on the difficulties she faced in entering the art world, which was full of privileged people for whom the “sky’s the limit”. She was planning on taking her mother to the exhibition, she says, adding: “I’m not giving up yet and she won’t be giving up either.”
Ms Mendy’s niece led the tributes to her dead aunt. She was remembered her as a ”warm and kind” person who welcomed everyone into her home.
“My aunt was my hero, she has been in my life for every major event. For the first time my aunt is not a phone call away,” it said.
“She is not there to hear my complaints, or to gossip.
“My aunt was the strong one, the fighter and the protector. The pain is unbearable.”
From now on, there will be two empty chairs around the family table at every celebration, Ms Mendy’s niece said in the statement.
“I hate night time because night brings silence and silence brings tears of sadness,” she said. “All of the tears will be replaced with memories of joy. Until we meet again.”
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