Reeva Steenkamp's Mother Speaks Out a Day Before Her Funeral
A week after Reeva Steenkamp was allegedly shot and killed by her paralympic boyfriend Oscar Pistorius, the supermodel’s mother spoke about her loss to the Times newspaper of South Africa.
June Steenkamp bravely opened up, telling the publication that her “baby loved like no one else.”
The 29-year-old model and lawyer was found dead in Pistorius’ home with a gun-shot wound to the head and arm on Valentine’s Day. Up until the tragic event, Pistorius and Steenkamp maintained a relatively happy relationship. Family members, friends and fans of the “blade runner” were all shocked by the news.
Looking back on her short life, June told the paper that she felt her daughter had so much more to give.
"She had so much of herself to give and now all of it is gone. Just like that, she is gone. In the blink of an eye and a single breath, the most beautiful person who ever lived is no longer here, ” she said.
Steenkamp’s family has said they want to focus on the present circumstances as they prepare for their daughter's funeral tomorrow.
"All we have is this horrendous death to deal with ... to get to grips with. All we want are answers ... answers as to why this had to happen, why our beautiful daughter had to die like this."
Pistorius, 26, has a scheduled court appearance tomorrow to take place at the same time of his tragic girlfriend’s memorial service. The Olympic champion’s father, Henke, said he is surprised at how his son is being portrayed.
"There is something fundamentally wrong with our society. We build people up into heroes, who overcome immense challenges, only to take great glee in breaking them down, “ he said. "I want to say this: We are realists, not fools. This is not going to be easy but Oscar is strong beyond his years."
As Steenkamp’s family looks forward to the trial, they know no amount of justice can bring Reeva back.
"The issue is not about the outcome”, June told the newspaper. “The outcome will be whatever it is meant to be. We're confident that justice will follow its course."
Pistorius, 26, made sports history when he became the first double amputee sprinter to ever compete in the Olympics. He won a silver medal and two golds during last year's Paralympic Games in London. In the 2012 Olympics, he made it to the 400-meter semifinal and then competed in the 4x400 meter relay race. He was nicknamed Blade Runner because he uses carbon fiber prosthetic blades when he runs.
