TEARS FOR GRACE
Heartbroken family members pay tribute to Nottingham rampage victim who died a hero as hundreds attend student’s funeral
THE heartbroken family of the Nottingham rampage victim who died a hero have today paid tribute to her.
Grace O'Malley-Kumar was one of the three innocent people who tragically died amid the horror attacks last month.
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More than 1,000 mourners this morning gathered at Westminister Abbey to say their final goodbyes, with the masses spilling out of the church as they paid their respects to the 19-year-old.
She is the final of the three victims of the horror slaying to be farewelled.
Grace died on the street alongside her university pal Barnaby Webber when the sunrise killings unfolded in the city on June 13.
Ian Coates, 65, was allegedly killed by the same knifeman just streets away.
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In the days after the trio's horror deaths, Grace was hailed a hero as witnesses told of how she fearlessly tried to fight the killer off Barnaby.
In a heart-wrenching eulogy today the medical student's dad Dr Sanjoy Kumar opened up about his pain.
Sanjoy told the church: "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."
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The dad told of how Grace had been inspired by him and her uncle, who was an orthopaedic surgeon, and had always wanted to help others.
Sanjoy said: "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."
Grace's mum Sinead O'Malley devastatingly told the church how her daughter had been "cruelly and inexplicably taken".
Paying tribute to her girl, Sinead said: "Grace was such a perfect gift to us."
Grace's funeral comes just one week after her pal Barnaby was farewelled.
His mum Emma broke down in tears as she paid tribute to her "extraordinary" son in front of 600 loved ones.
Just days before Ian's friends and family said their final goodbyes to him at his service.
The trio's cause of death was revealed earlier this month.
The students, both 19, died after suffering stab wounds to the chest and abdomen.
Ian died from stab wounds to the chest alone, Nottingham Coroners' Court was told.
Senior coroner Mairin Casey told the hearing: "When any individual dies of unnatural causes, as has happened in this case, an inquest will always be opened.
"As the deaths of these three people occurred close in time on the same day and arising from a chain of events that is linked to one individual, it is right that these inquests should be opened at the same time."
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Valdo Amissao Mendes Calocane has been charged with three counts of murder.
He is also accused of attempted murder after three people were injured, one critically, when they were hit by a van.
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