The husband of a woman killed in the terrorist attacks in Paris has written a touching Facebook post where he promises to raise their 17-month-old son “happy and free.”
Journalist Antoine Leiris penned the emotional message titled “You will not have my hatred” for his wife Helene Muyal-Leiris who was among the 89 killed in the Bataclan concert hall attack on Friday evening.
“Friday night you stole the life of an exceptional person, the love of my life, the mother of my son, but you will not get my hatred,” Leiris wrote in the post on Monday.
At least 129 people were killed and more than 350 injured in a series of coordinated gun attacks and bomb blasts across Paris Friday.
The Facebook post from the grieving husband had been shared more than 178,000 times by Wednesday and received hundreds of comments of support.
“We are two, my son and me, but we are stronger than all the armies in the world. I actually don’t have any more time to give you, I must rejoin Melvil who is waking up from his nap,” Leiris wrote, referring to his 17-month-old son.
“He will eat his snack like every day, and then we will play like every day, and all his life this little boy will make you the affront of being happy and free. Because no, you won’t get his hatred, either.”
The powerful statement has become one of several acts of defiance and bravery.
WATCH: France’s leaders are promising retribution for the inhumane acts of violence that led to the tragedy in Paris. But there are those who are taking the time to reflect and provide a sense of humanity. Eric Sorensen reports.
French woman gives touching interview following attacks
An elderly French woman had come to place flowers at a memorial site to honour the victims of the attacks when she delivered a short but moving statement to France’s BFM-TV.
“It’s very important to bring flowers for our dead,” the 77-year-old woman, identified only by her first name, Danielle, said in the video.
“We will fraternize with five million Muslims who practice their religion freely and kindly and we will fight the 10,000 barbarians who kill, supposedly in the name of Allah,” she said.
A crowdfunding campaign later sprang up to raise money to buy her a bouquet of flowers. As of Wednesday more than 1,400 people had donated almost 12,000 Euros.
France, England soccer teams unite at Wembley Stadium
And Tuesday the fans and players of the French and English soccer teams delivered a moving display of solidarity at Wembley Stadium before a friendly match by singing the French national anthem in unison before the squads came together around the centre circle to observe a minute’s silence in honour of the victims.
“We have been welcomed here like it’s our own home,” Sebastien Correia, a French supporter, told The Associated Press. “That’s very important for us, for Europe, and for the world, for all the people who are fighting against dictatorships and terrorism. We need solidarity on a European and a world level.”
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