Nicola de Menezes: the mother who allowed her daughter to say goodbye to her recently dead father

This is a sad story about a family going on a trip to celebrate the dad's wedding anniversary, and ending the father's cold-blooded murder. It happened in South Africa, and its unfortunate protagonists were the Menezes family, who resided in Kenya due to the work of Nicola (the mother), although they were of British origin.

There are two very striking aspects in the story, on the one hand the episode of brutal violence that ended the life of Clinton de Menezes, a renowned contemporary artist who began his career precisely in the South African country; and on the other, the fact that The mother, at the time she learned that her husband had been deceased, allowed the daughter of both (seven years) to remain by the body of the deceased and say goodbye with a hug.

In his own words, they were a united family that loved and needed to be together, so it was inconceivable and unnatural to separate the girl from her father's physical presence. Telling him what happened later would have been very cold

It was Clinton himself who asked that Nicola and Eva (their daughter) remain in the bathroom, and even hid the girl in a laundry basket. It was after deciding to go to the aid of his friends Simon and Amanda, in whose house they were staying, and when he already knew that armed intruders had broken into the home.

A truncated family, and a brilliant unfinished career (Mr. de Menezes held exhibitions in London and New York). It will not be easy for Eva to grow up without her father, although thanks to the mother’s decision, has been able to say goodbye to him. The death of a relative is a fact that can terrify and sadden the little ones, but if we cover it up, distort or hide it to protect them, we may only be able to confuse them.

Do you think Nicola did well allowing her daughter to hug her father before they took her body away?