‘One day dawn will break for us again. I promise you Barney, you will not be lost in vain...’
THE mother of Nottingham attack victim Barnaby Webber gave a message of hope as she delivered a poignant eulogy at his funeral.
Emma Webber’s son, 19, died with friend Grace O’Malley-Kumar, 19, when they were stabbed in Nottingham last month after a night out.
His mum told 600 mourners inside Taunton Minster said: “If you imagine our world as a clear night sky, it’s seemingly completely black.
“However, if you stop for long enough, you’ll begin to see very small moments of light, like a shooting star, or a distant planet.
“All of the love and support we’ve received – the hundreds and hundreds of cards and letters, many from strangers, and all of the gestures of love, donations made, the memorial matches and the shirts – they are those tiny glimmers of bright.
“We have a very long and painful road ahead of us. I am very scared by it. But I am still looking up into that sky. And I do know that one day the dawn will break for us again.
“So, we remain a family of four. Just one of us isn’t here right now.” There was a standing ovation for the student, with cheers, when she asked mourners to give him applause.
Remembering his patient and caring son, father David, urged everyone to “be a little bit more Barney”, Brother Charlie said: “The pride I feel in that you didn’t run, you didn’t hide, and you stood your ground and died the person you will always be to me – my hero.
“I once asked you how you live so happily and you told me that the secret was to only care about the big things and not to dwell on the little ones. And that will stick with me until the day I join you up there.” Among the congregation were friends from Taunton School, Bishop Hull Cricket Club and the University of Nottingham, as well as Grace’s family. Photos of her and Ian Coates, 65, who also died in the attacks on June 13, were displayed with a hockey stick and ball and Nottingham Forest scarf, to remember their love of sports. Valdo Calocane, 31, has been charged with three counts of murder.