The father of Nottingham attack victim Grace O’Malley-Kumar described his daughter as an “angelic girl” as he delivered a poignant eulogy at her funeral.
Medical student Ms O’Malley-Kumar and history student Barnaby Webber, both 19, were found stabbed to death in Ilkeston Road on June 13th with school caretaker Ian Coates (65) found stabbed to death on Magdala Road, Nottingham, the same day.
Ms O’Malley Kumar’s funeral was held at the largest Catholic church in England and Wales, Westminster Cathedral, in London. A spokesperson for the church said it was filled with at least 1,000 guests.
During the funeral, her father Dr Sanjoy Kumar said: “No father should be called upon to give a eulogy for their child.
“It’s not the natural order of things. It generally means something really unnatural has taken place and unfortunately for me, my beloved daughter Grace has been taken away from us.”
Dr Kumar spoke about his daughter’s dedication to medicine and mentioned that she had volunteered to vaccinate people when he became the operations lead for a Covid vaccination centre in Waltham Forest.
The congregation heard that Ms O’Malley-Kumar had wanted to apply to the Royal Army Medical Corps to further her medical training, inspired by her father and uncle, an orthopaedic surgeon.
Dr Kumar said: “I look back now and I am astonished by her resolve.
“Here we have a child who wanted to outdo her father and her uncle in public service.
“I have to ask, what kind of angelic child tries to outdo others in serving her country and her community, but that is exactly the sort of girl Grace was, she was truly amazing.”
Her mother, Dublin-born doctor Sinead O’Malley, told the service that her daughter had been “cruelly and inexplicably taken”.
She said: “She came into our lives here in Westminster at St Mary’s Hospital in Paddington.
“Her birth registered here, and it is now from Westminster that she will leave.
“Grace was such a perfect gift to us.”
A funeral for Mr Webber was held at Taunton Minster in Taunton, Somerset, earlier in the month.
Mr Webber’s parents, Emma and David Webber, attended the funeral of Ms O’Malley Kumar and so did Sir Kenneth Olisa, the King’s representative in Greater London.
Former University of Nottingham student Valdo Calocane, 31, was charged with the murder of Ms O’Malley-Kumar, Mr Webber and Mr Coates in June.
