Slain woman’s family teams with Shoppers to combat violence
Losing her sister at the hands of an ex-boyfriend earlier this year is a wound that’s slow to heal for Racha El-Dib.
It has been more than six months since Nadia El-Dib was killed in a brutal attack by former boyfriend Abderrahmane (Adam) Bettahar, and Racha says the pain is still very real.
But rather than lament her loss, Racha has been honouring Nadia’s memory by supporting charities assisting women suffering from domestic abuse.
“It’s definitely been able to help us get through these darks times,” Racha said. “It’s created something positive for us to wake up to and know that we’re helping other people.”
Racha has already teamed up with domestic abuse support charity Gems for Gems, working as a community ambassador and even lending Nadia’s name to a scholarship for abuse survivors.
Now, the El-Dib family has partnered with more than 30 Shoppers Drug Mart locations in Calgary to collect donations for the Calgary Women’s Emergency Shelter.
Until the end of October, displays at participating Shoppers checkouts will feature a picture of Nadia and tell customers her story: one of a life cut tragically short by a man unable to cope with rejection.
Racha said there are 37 locations taking part in the fundraiser, including the Acadia, CrossIron, Shawnessy and North Hill locations, among many others.
Amid the family ’s pain is a desire to help women like Nadia break the cycle of domestic abuse. Helping other victims is also helping Racha mourn her sister and bring light to a “dark place.”
“For me, it’s definitely helped with the healing process,” Racha said of her work with Shoppers and Gems for Gems. “In the moment, it’s definitely bittersweet. It’s great, but I would give all of that up to have Nadia back.
“But, unfortunately, that’s not possible. So the only way to go about it is to actually create something positive.”
Nadia used to work for Shoppers and Racha said her mother also works for the company, which has been “extremely supportive” of the family since the murder.
Gems for Gems connects victims with psychologists, self-defence instructors, financial managers and motivational speakers through its Hero to Hero program to help empower women in abusive situations.
The group is also in the middle of its annual Christmas drive, collecting donations of jewelry from Calgarians to give out at Calgary women’s shelters on Christmas morning.
The Bearspaw Lions Club will host a charity pig roast in support of Gems for Gems on Saturday. Tickets are $40 per person or $120 per family.
Tickets for the roast are available by visiting www.bearspawlions.com. Jewelry donations can be dropped off before Dec. 1 at Orangetheory Fitness locations in Seton, Shawnessy, Marda Loop and West Springs.
The El-Dibs have said Nadia and Bettahar had been separated for some time before the night of the murder. Racha said her sister “went down fighting,” as Bettahar stabbed her dozens of times before cutting her throat and shooting her twice with a high-powered rifle behind a home in the 1000 block of Maitland Drive N.E.
Bettahar was killed in a shootout with Mounties west of Edmonton less than a week after the murder, but not before he shot and injured Sgt. Brian Topham, who was injured when a bullet grazed his skull.