The Grenfell disaster claimed the lives of 72 people.
Each one somebody’s father, mother, brother, sister, relative, friend or neighbour, they ranged in age from an unborn baby to an 84-year-old woman.
Here are those who have been remembered:
- Isra Ibrahim
Said Essaouini, the husband of Isra Ibrahim, told the inquiry he visits her grave for two hours every week.
Ms Ibrahim died alongside her brother and mother on the 23rd floor of Grenfell Tower.
Her husband said his partner was always the fitter one in their relationship and could easily out-run him.
He told the hearing: “I believe she could have escaped the fire if she wanted to but she didn’t want to leave her mother.
“I will never find no-one like her, never ever, ever a woman like Isra again, and I am ripped up to pieces, only God knows how much I’m ripped up,” he added.
“I feel like I lost my world. Every Friday I go to the cemetery and I sit down and I talk to her for two hours – I know she is listening to me and I know she loved me to the max as well.
“She is waiting for me in the next life. Every time I talk about her I feel her soul.
“I wish I was there that night. She sent me to the mosque. God was giving us a sign to go away. But I wish I was there. I wish not to witness this pain that I’m going through.”
- Sakineh and Fatemeh Afrasiabi
Iranian born Sakineh moved to the UK in December 1997.
She worked at the Punch and Judy nursery in Earl’s Court, cooking for the children.
A mother-of-five, Ms Afrasehabi was described as “everybody’s grandmother” on her floor in the block.
Her eldest daughter said that Ms Afrasehabi loved spending time with her sister, grabbing a chair and looking out at the views over London.
She enjoyed cooking Persian food for friends and neighbours and giving sweets to the children on her floor.
Ms Afrasehabi loved singing, laughing and loved her family “unconditionally”.
Initially, she moved further up the block when the fire broke out, the inquiry heard, because she believed help to be on its way.
The 65-year-old suffered pain due to an accident in Iran and in 2003 the council’s housing department suggested she should not be housed in a property above the fourth floor.
However, she was eventually moved into a flat on the 18th floor despite being partially sighted and only being able to get around with a tri-walker.
Nazanin Aghlani told the inquiry that her mother Sakineh Afrasehabi’s “human right to escape” was impeded by the decision to house her so high.
She said her mother was a big fan of the Queen,and told the inquiry when she got her citizenship, she said: “Elizabeth’s my queen now.”
A refurbishment of the block made her life “very difficult” as her health had majorly deteriorated and movement was difficult, she said.
“The only thing she kept saying about flat 151 was that she wanted to put all her furniture into it and go back to Iran. It was a home she already wanted to get away from and I don’t blame her.
“She was a vulnerable disabled person and she was put in a place that was worse than her own. The fear of living so high in her condition was always at the back of her mind.”
Fatemah Afrasehabi, 59, was staying in flat 151 on the night of the fire with her older sister.
Surrounded by his siblings and relatives, her son Mohammed Samimi explained to the room why his father was absent.
He said: “I wanted to take this opportunity to remember my father, who could not come to the UK, his visa application was refused, and he says that ‘I am spending my days and nights by the thought of my children and I want to be able to visit my wife’s grave’.
In a video made by Mr Samimi, her daughters recalled how their mother was talented at sewing and would make clothes for their dolls.
She would often sing during chores, her daughter Sara said, describing her voice as “beautiful” and “truly soothing”.
- Omar Belkadi, Farah Hamdan, Malak Balkadi and Leena Belkadi
Tributes are paid to four members of the same family who died: Omar Belkadi, 32, his wife Farah Hamdan, 31, and their daughters, Malak Balkadi, 8, and six-month-old Leena Belkadi.
Omar Belkadi worked in a restaurant and then as a pizza delivery man.
The couple married in Morocco in a ceremony that was described as “magic”.
The father of Farah, El Alami Hamdan, spoke to the inquiry through an interpreter.
Farah Hamdan was born in London and lived in Kensington and Chelsea all her life.
“There is nobody in the neighbourhood who doesn’t know Farah ..she was respectful, she was also respecting everyone.
“She used to respect everyone, whether they are Muslim or not.
“She was giving importance to everyone, whether they are old or young,” her father said.
Mr Hamdan said his daughter and her husband Omar Belkadi, “really loved each other.
He became visibly upset when he began to talk about his two grandchildren who died in the fire.
“They are my children, I never forget them.”
He recalled talking to his daughter on the day of the fire but didn’t realise it would be the last time he’d see her and his granddaughter Leena.
“She hugged me, and I didn’t know that that night she would die…That was the last day, the last hour…”
- Raymond “Moses” Bernard
Mr Bernard, lived on the 21st floor of the building and was last heard from before the fire.
The 63-year-old arrived in the UK from Trinidad in 1969 and qualified to become a electrician, working on the Parliamentary Estate in Westminster.
His tearful sister Bernadette Bernard said at the inquiry:: “My brother was…my rock, my go-to person in times of trouble…We shared a deep love, respect and understanding for each other, coupled with an unbreakable bond.”
His sister said the biblical connotations of the nickname Moses – who led the Israelites through the parted Red Sea to safety – was apt.
“On that fateful night, seven individuals were located in Ray’s flat. These were Deborah Lamprell, Jessica Urbano (Ramirez), a mother Berkti Haftom and her son Biruk Haftom, Hamid Kani and one other.
“As there was no way down to escape, the only alternative was to head towards the top floor.
“There they met Ray and took refuge in his flat. He was a hero on that tragic night.”
Raymond’s 84-year-old mother also appeared in a pre-recorded video from Trinidad to send a message to her late son.
“Ray, this is your momma Rose paying a tribute to you to let you know how much I still love you.
“You’ll always be in my thoughts and and my dreams – I love you still.”
His son Julian Burton felt unable to read his statement himself the inquiry was told.
Mr Burton’s words are read out: “The thought of never seeing my dad any more is heartbreaking.
“I loved my dad very much…In my eyes, he was the greatest man I ever saw on this planet in many ways …he was an incredible man.”
- Fathia Ahmed, Abufars Ibrahim and Isra Ibrahim
Fathia Ahmed, 71, died along with her children, Abufars Ibrahim, 39, and Isra Ibrahim, 33, on the 23rd floor of Grenfell Tower.
Abu Baker Ibrahim, 40, one of Fathia’s five children, gave tribute to his three relatives during the inquiry.
He explained how Fathia worked as a headmistress in Sudan, while his father was a military officer. But after he died, their mother moved the family to the UK.
“My mother worked hard, in a foreign land, to keep us together,” Mr Ibrahim said.
Fathia moved into Grenfell in 2007.
“You can sit and pretend that it’s OK, but the minute you close that door and you’re by yourself, it’s horrible,” he said, remembering his mother as a “very loving person, very caring” with “excellent communication skills and a great sense of humour”.
“Simple things like going into the house and you see the Quality Street box in there…we would still fight over the best ones,” he said.
Asked what he missed about his mother, he continued: “Everything…Her company. We could talk for hours, we were very tight, we understood each other, we all did.”
Mr Ibrahim said he was “extremely” protective of his sister Isra, while his brother was “more of a hard man” with a soft centre.
- Mohammad Alhajali
Mohammad Alhajali moved to the UK from Syria in 2014 and took up studying engineering.
From a large family, he had dreams of moving them all to the UK, becoming and engineer, and marrying his partner, Amal.
Friends and family described Mohammad as warm, loving and caring, always telephoning and checking people were OK.
In a video tribute, Amal said that the last time they spoke was after they had been on a bus together on June 13, when he called her.
His siblings and mother all gave moving tributes at the inquiry.
Mohammad’s older brother, Omar, said: “He had lots of friends. He was a very welcoming person. He loved his friends.”
His younger brother, Hashem, said: “He was full of joy. He loved life. He would help anyone in the family.”
Mohammad’s mother, Heam, recalled: “His smile never leaves me. When he would say ‘hello mother’, ‘do you need anything?’ Everything about him was distinguished.”
A friend, Mahmoud Al-Karad, spoke of their final conversation together on the night of the fire.
He said: “He was in there with a mother and her child. I told him to get out, that he should leave.
“His reply shows the kind of man that he was.
“He said: ‘How can I leave? How can I leave the child?'”
- Hamid Kani
Hamid Kani, 61, lived happily in Grenfell Tower for 22 years.
Originally from Tehran, Iran, he moved to the UK along with a friend in the late 1970s to study.
But after appearing in a satirical play criticising the Iranian government, he was blacklisted from returning to his home country.
Speaking to the inquiry, his friend, Masoud Shahabeddin, described Hamid as “so sociable, extrovert and very, very funny”.
“Hamid will always be remembered for his enduring humour – so sharp, so witty – for his warmth, his smile, his love of family and his compassion for others,” he said.
The inquiry was told that Hamid became a skilled chef after his acting career, and worked in many restaurants across London.
“He was a happy and easy-going man,” Mr Shahabeddin said.
“He hated to see people upset. He always said that everything is going to be alright in the end.”
He added: “Hamid lived to love, and loved to live. He would have been especially proud that out of the tragedy of Grenfell Tower there has been an outpouring of love, togetherness and support.”
- Berkti & Biruk Haftom
Berkti Haftom, 29, died in the Grenfell Tower fire alongside her 12-year-old son Biruk.
They had lived in Grenfell since 2007, where they were both “very happy”.
Born in Eritrea, one of 11 siblings, Berkti had her first son, Nahom, at a young age, before being forced to leave him behind when she fled the country to the UK.
Her family praised Berkti’s working ethic, which led her to take up jobs as a cleaner, caterer, barista and sales assistant to support Biruk and his older brother.
She planned to eventually move her eldest son to the UK, and was also 10 weeks pregnant at the time of the fire.
Biruk, who supported Chelsea, attended the Grenfell Nursery, where he was “loved by everyone”, the inquiry heard.
Biruk frequently shunned traditional Eritrean food, preferring chicken and chips.
“He was a smiling and happy little boy, so full of energy and running everywhere”, a family statement read.
Berkti’s sisters, in a statement, said: “She had been robbed of an education as a young child, and for her the priority was the education of her son and a life of learning to enrich their lives.
“Every day we think of our sister and our nephew. The fire took everything they had and all that they owned.
“However, the fire did not take away the happy memories of our beloved sister and our happy nephew.”
- Isaac Paulos
Isaac Paulos, five, was one of the youngest victims of the Grenfell Tower fire.
He lived with his mother, father, and young brother, Lukas, in Grenfell, but became separated from them during the fire.
His father, Paulos Petakle, described Isaac as “beautiful”, a “little boy with so much potential”.
Mr Petakle said that the fire brigade told the family to wait inside the flat, but he questioned whether Isaac might be alive today had they taken the decision to leave earlier.
Isaac, an Arsenal fan, was a popular pupil at school, with two of his teachers and former schoolmates paying tributes at the inquiry.
He liked going to the park, playing outdoors, and was always “so happy” being at school.
“He took great care with his friends. He was very caring,” one teacher said in a video tribute.
Mr Petakle said of his son: “Isaac was always welcoming me home.
“As I walked through the door, he was always the first person to run to me and say ‘hello, daddy’.
“He would jump into my arms and give me a big hug.”
- Gloria Trevisan
Gloria Trevisan, 26, lived in Grenfell with her fiance Marco Gottardi.
The architecture graduate, from Italy, was spotted by a building restoration firm in the UK who quickly hired her.
She also had a particular talent for water-colour drawings, with a selection of her work being shown at the inquiry.
Gloria was close with her family, including her mother, father, brother, cousin and grandmother.
Her parents, who attended the inquiry, described Gloria as “beautiful”.
They told the inquiry: “She was a simple girl who loved laughing and joking. She was 26, light-hearted, and loved life.
“She loved her friends, who couldn’t live without her advice. Most importantly, she loved her family.”
In a final telephone conversation with her parents during the fire, Gloria told them: “Be strong. I hug you both. I love you.”
- Mariem Elgwahry
Mariem Elgwahry, 27, lived her entire life in Grenfell and died beside her mother, Eslah.
Her older brother, Ahmed, said that he and Mariem lost their father 20 years prior, and since that point the family unit had remained close-knit.
Mariem, a graduate from Roehampton, had had opportunities to move out of Grenfell, but she stayed in order to look after her mother, the inquiry heard.
Her brother described Mariem as ambitious, with a interview for a dream job pending, and in love with a new partner.
He told the inquiry that he remained on the phone to his sister and mother from outside the block as they died.
“We shared many similar attributes, including our sense of humour, lots of banter, our love for sport – particularly tennis – and our drive to excel in both our personal and working lives,” he said.
In a statement, friends described Mariem as a “ray of sunshine” and somebody who “got on with everyone”.
One friend said: “She had positive energy, she was always cheerful and had a contagious smile on her face, regardless of how she was feeling.
“She was funny, made me laugh, her facial expressions were hilarious, and she didn’t care about making a fool out of herself.”
- Eslah Elgwahry
Eslah Elgwahry, 64, mother of Mariem, had lived in Grenfell Tower for 34 years, and died beside her daughter.
She was forced to raise Mariem and her daughter’s older brother, Ahmed, after the children’s father died 20 years ago.
Ahmed told the inquiry that his mother “touched many hearts”, and loved cooking for friends and family.
In recent years, she had suffered from ill health, and was looked after by both children.
Mariem, despite opportunities to leave, continued to live at Grenfell with her mother, with Ahmed describing the pair as “inseparable”.
“My mum touched many hearts and was a strong woman who raised Mariem and I on her own,” he said.
“She was very youthful, both inside and out. She was also a great, authentic Egyptian cook.”
- Steve Power
Steve Power died in the Grenfell Tower blaze, after going back into the building to wake his sleeping daughter up, she told the inquiry.
Sherrie Power said she did not know why her father was reluctant to leave the flat, but believes it may have been because he was told to stay put by the fire service.
He was found with his three Staffordshire bull terriers – “his best friends” wrapped around him, Ms Power said.
She continued that the 63-year-old left an impression on everyone he met, even those who only met him once, she said, describing him as being “like Marmite”.
Ending the tribute to Mr Power, the mother of his son issued a direct appeal to Sir Martin Moore-Bick, the chair of the inquiry, Theresa May and other politicians to carry out the inquiry properly: “Sir Martin, You do right by us all, and you do right by my children.
“I can’t argue with you. I can’t fight you. I have to end it there.”
Sir Martin replied that “we will do our best”.
- Hashim family: Hashim Kedir, Nura Jemal, Yaqub Hashim, Firdaws Hashim, and Yahya Hashim
A harrowing 999 call, in which a father and his six-year-old son told each other they loved each other as fire engulfed Grenfell Tower, has been played to the inquiry.
All five members of the Hashim family died in the Grenfell Tower blaze, but the inquiry was played part of a 999 call in which Hashim Kedir told his son, Yaqub, he loved him, to which the little boy replied: “I love you too.”
“All the joy and energy in his voice was drawn out and they were replaced by heartbreak and confusion, sadness and fear,” Mr Kedir’s sister said.
The family was found in a flat on the 22nd floor, of which a photographer in a helicopter took a picture of a woman waving a white flag.
Paying tribute to her nephew, Yaqub’s aunt told the room that “his simple presence was a spark of happiness… I never saw him down”.
Assema Kedir Habib, the sister of Hashim Kedir, also marveled at the schoolboy’s “constant high energy all the time” and how strong he was.
Continuing, she also paid tribute to Yaqub’s older sister, Firdaws, who was known for her academic ability.
He aunt recounted how “Firdaws loved to read.
“She was a very fast reader.
“She would borrow five or six books from the library on Friday and finish reading them on the Monday”, and that her parents sometimes joked about going bankrupt if they bought all the books she wanted.
The 12-year-old’s cousin also paid tribute to her, saying she was “always in awe” of her, “you spread so much love and positivity, and I always admired you for that”.
Speaking about 13-year-old Yahya, the children’s aunt said everyone “fell in love with him” and that he would “think of things that wouldn’t occur to other teenagers”.
Meanwhile, the mother of the family Nura Jemal, 35, was a “strong woman”, who would “light up anyone’s day”, and her sister described how she was “like a mother to me”.
Paying tribute to their aunt, Ms Jemal’s nieces said: “We love you so much auntie. We love you and we will miss you every day of our lives.”
Speaking about her 44-year-old brother, Ms Kedir Habib explained that Hashim Kedir “had no limits”, and “loved his kids and wife, Nura, very much”.
- Jessica Urbano Ramirez
Jessica Urbano Ramirez “lit up” her family’s lives, her sister said in an emotional tribute to the 12-year-old.
Melanie Urbano Ramirez continued: “Not a day goes by where she doesn’t cross my mind.
“And the thought of not being able to watch her grow up into a beautiful girl, and watch her go to university, have her first job and just be there as an older sister at the time she would need me breaks my heart.
“Jessica was full of joy, full of laughter, and she deserved to live a happy life surrounded by the many friends and family who cared about her…
“I will miss having a sister but she will always be in my heart.”
Her father said she was “a daddy’s girl” and “the apple of my eye”, he continued: “There are no words to describe the feelings of emptiness… It’s only the people in the same circumstances as us who can [understand] our pain.”
Her mother added that their lives had been “destroyed” by her loss and they would “always have a hole in our hearts…
“I will always keep her in my heart, love her and miss her every single day.
“Sleep tight baby girl and one day we will meet again.”
- Khadija Khaloufi
Karim Khalloufi, the younger brother of victim Khadija Khalloufi, was unable to attend the inquiry after suffering delays with his visa.
His solicitor Balvinder Gill said: “He did finally obtain a visa to travel, however then there were related difficulties in securing support with accommodation and related problems.
“He is very, very upset that he cannot be here, he prepared the pen portrait, he wanted to present it on behalf of his sister.
“There is no other family here in the UK who could read it out on his behalf.”
Counsel to the inquiry Bernard Richmond said “very strenuous efforts were made” to try to get him to the hearing.
Mr Khalloufi said in a statement: “She was there for us whenever we needed her but none of us could help her escape the fire on the 14th of June, 2017.”
Khadija Khalloufi managed a pharmacy in Morocco after leaving school, she later moved to the Netherlands and then London.
She registered to help at a centre to help immigrants integrate by teaching them English.
It was there she met her husband Sabah Abdullah, who was from Iran.
Right from the beginning of their relationship, Sabah Abdullah knew that
his wife, Khadija Khaloufi, was “the one for me”.
He recalled how the smile never left the face of his wife of 27 years, telling the inquiry she was “a unique person” and that when she died in the fire, “I lost a part of me”.
Mr Abdullah recalled how the pair loved to travel and would often just “jump in the car, cross the channel and choose a country” when they had spare time, describing them as being “free like birds”.
- El-Wahabi family: Abdulaziz, Faouzia, Yasin, Nur Huda, and Mehdi
“A beautiful family” who “will never be forgotten”, all died in their flat while waiting to be rescued from the fire, the inquiry has been told.
Family and friends of the El-Wahabi’s – father, Abdulaziz, 52, mother Faouzia, 41, and children Yasin, 20, Nur Huda, 16, and Mehdi, eight, paid emotional tributes to them all, with one saying that “at least they are all together, in the hands of God, in that perfect place above”.
Hamed El-Wahabi paid tribute to his brother, Abdulaziz, recounting how they would talk on the phone for hours.
It was an “honour” to know Mr El-Wahabi – who was originally from Morocco – his brother said.
He continued that the hospital porter was “patient,kind… and very proud of his children”, and “had an infectious and caring personality.
Faouzia El-Wahabi was “creative, friendly and lively”, her sister-in- law said.
“She will always be remembered for her strength and her kindness to others. We miss her dearly.”
Football coach and accountancy student Yasin El-Wahabi was a “beautiful, soft boy” who was “a testament to his family”, a friend said.
Another told how the 20-year-old was “a lovable and caring young man, who would lend his hand to anyone…His contagious smile will always be etched in our hearts”.
Mariam El-Wahabi, young cousin of the family, told the inquiry how she wanted to be more like Nur Huda, “but…it was impossible to be like her. She was too unique”.
The room heard how the GCSE student had an empathy well beyond her years, and an inherent sense of justice.
A teacher at her school told how “a classroom was always a better place if Nur Huda was in it… I have taught thousands of children, and Nur Huda was unique.”
A nine-year-old cousin of Mehdi recalled how she loved playing with the eight-year-old, adding that if he had grown up, he would have been a comedian, “but he would have had to do some work on his jokes”.
- Ligaya Moore
Ligaya Moore loved her flat on the 21st floor of Grenfell Tower because it made her feel on “top of the world”, her neighbour told the inquiry.
Nennita Bunggay said the “lovely, bubbly” 78-year-old who loved walking and dancing was “not only my friend, she was my mother, sister, everything… Every day of my life”.
Ms Bunggay recalled the last conversation she had with Ms Moore, who came to the UK from the Philippines 43 years ago, when they said goodbye to each other the night of the fire: “Nennita, take care of yourself. I love you.”
To which Ms Bunggay replied: “I love you too.”
- Vincent Chiejina
Vincent Chiejina’s sister, Obi, told the inquiry how her brother always wanted to make others feel good and help and support them, she continued that the 60-year-old was especially good at looking after people who were vulnerable.
“He guided and gave directions to others. Let’s celebrate and remember those who help others.”
She continued that the talented cook came to the UK from Nigeria as a child, and excelled at mathematics before going on to study electrical engineering.
- Fathia Ali Ahmed Elsanosi
Fathia Ali Ahmed Elsanosi’s younger sister, Hayat Elsanosi, paid tribute to her sister at the inquiry, telling the room that as well as being her older sister, “she was like a mother to me”, supporting her through university.
She continued that the 73-year-old felt safe in London, having come to the UK as a refugee in the early 1990s after fleeing her home country, Sudan, in search of safety, but following the fire, Hayat Elsanosi said “this feels like an illusion. Our trust in this country has been destroyed”.
Ms Elsanosi recalled her sister was a pillar of strength for their family who had worked hard to become a teacher.
She added that the last time she saw her sister was when Ms Elanosi visited Sudan between November 2016 and March 2017.
She said: This was a wonderful time. I now wonder if Fathia knew that something was going to happen to her, and that we had to make this time special.
- Kamru Miah, Rabeya Begum, Mohammed Hamid, Mohammed Hanif, and Husna Begum
Mohammed Hakim, paid tribute to his mother, Rabeya Begum, father, Kamru Miah, brothers Mohammed Hamid and Mohammed Hanif, and sister, Husna Begum, who all died in flat 142 of Grenfell Tower.
Mohammed Hakim is the sole surviving family member, and he told those assembled how the blaze had turned him into an orphan.
He began by paying tribute to his “amazing” father who came to the UK from Bangladesh, telling the inquiry that Kamru Miah, 79, “was a humble caring honest and loyal kind man. He was well respected by his community…He was adored by people due to his gentle and sweet nature” and gave him “so much in life…
“I just wish he was still here. Not a second of the day goes by when I don’t miss him. Love you, Dad. Miss you a lot.”
Speaking about his mother, Mohammed Hakim, told how Rabeya Begum, 64, was “the most important person in my life, and in my heart and soul…I will forever miss her dearly, and a piece of my heart will always be missing…I love you mum…I want you to know that you will always be remembered”.
Mohammed Hamid, 27, was his father’s “guardian angel” and “his mother’s friend”, who “loved his family a lot”, and despite being “a joker… he was a trooper, a lionheart, brave and loyal…He would be there with you through thick and thin”.
Mohammed Hakim told the room that his youngest brother, Mohammed Hanif, 26, was “brilliantly talented in design” and “despite being on earth for a short period of time, he touched many hearts”.
The youngest of the family, Husna Begum, 22, was his “baby sister”, Mohammed Hakim said.
He continued that she was “cheeky and had a great spirit… In our family, she was the perfect little star..Loved you more than you ever knew, you were my baby sister”.
He continued that he “could not be prouder of his family” for staying close together in their last moments, adding that “as loving children” his siblings had “chosen to stay with their parents”.
“Mum, dad, Hamid, Hanif, Husna, I will love you always,” he finished by saying.
- Amna Mahmud Idris
Amna Mahmud Idris was visiting her cousin, Amal Ahmedin, when the fire broke out.
The 27-year-old’s husband, Ibrahim, told the inquiry that she was “all my life”, and that although they were together for some time, they only lived with each other for one year, after which he “lost her forever”.
He continued that his wife “would help everyone…she was happy to help other people….I will never find someone like Amna…She was the life of her family.”
- Mohamednur Tuccu, Amal Ahmedin, and Amaya Tuccu-Ahmedin
Mother and daughter, Amal Ahmedin, 35, and Amaya Tuccu-Ahmedin, three, were found next to each other in the 23rd-floor lobby, with Ms Ahmedin’s sister saying they were found holding each other.
Mohamednur Tuccu, Ms Ahmedin’s husband and Amaya’s father was discovered close to the nearby leisure centre.
Ms Ahmedin’s sister, Winter, broke down as she remembered how she was looking forward to seeing her niece grow up.
“To this day and the rest of my life I will never accept that they are gone and that I will never be able to see them again and I will never be able to feel their warmth, their kind and loving hearts.
“I will continue planning Amaya’s life – what she would be doing today, tomorrow, her 10th birthday, her 18th, her 21st and the rest of her life. We all miss them so much.”
Another of Ms Ahmedin’s sisters recalled how she “had the most beautiful smile…she was so strong.
“She never complained and was loved by so many. She was funny and cheeky and wholehearted.”
She added that “Amaya was Amal’s pride and joy”, and also told that her sister could speak five languages “because she loved making new friends”.
Mr Tuccu’s brother, Ibrahim, paid tribute to the 44-year-old who had had to flee his home of Eritrea at the age of 17 after becoming a politically active “freedom fighter”.
He continued that Mr Tuccu was “popular” and “loved by many… Mohamednur was very happy. I couldn’t tell you how happy he was…His heart was 100% with Amaya all the time”.
He added that Mr Tuccu would talk to his young daughter as if she was his “close friend”.
- Victoria King and Alexandra Atala
A relative of Victoria King, 71, and her daughter Alexandra Atala, 40, said it was important they “were, and are, still together” after dying in Grenfell Tower.
Penny Pearce, Ms King’s sister and Ms Atala’s aunt who lives overseas, paid tribute to her sister and niece through a solicitor, as images of a young Ms King were shown.
Ms Pearce said she had lost touch with her younger sister for many years, but was eventually able to trace them both to Grenfell Tower.
“The time we had back being in touch meant a great deal, I wish it had been much longer,” Ms Pearce said.
“They were, and are, still together and that is what is important. The fire is a tragedy for all of us.”
- Majorie and Ernie Vital
Majorie Vital, 68, and her son Ernie, 50, lived on the 19th floor of Grenfell Tower in flat 162.
A statement from Majorie’s sister Paula, read by Nancy Collins, a solicitor for the family, told how Majorie had moved to London from the Caribbean island of Dominica, first living with her parents before getting her flat in Grenfell tower.
She moved to London from the Caribbean island of Dominica, first living with her parents before getting her flat in Grenfell tower.
“She liked living in the tower.” Paula said. “She was very proud of her home, which was always neat and tidy. Mama and papa used to tease her and call it ‘Majorie’s Tower’.”
In a film shown to the inquiry, Majorie’s surviving son, whose name was not given, told how Majorie’s and Ernie’s bodies have been found in the tower fused together after the fire.
Over powerful footage showing the charred wreckage of a former flat in the tower, he said he had imagined his brother practically carrying his mother to the top floor when it became clear no other escape route was possible.
He said: “They entered the flat and they made their way to the bathroom. I have imagined myself as my brother in that bathroom, filling the bath with water… and there’s no way I’m leaving my mother and my mother wouldn’t leave me.
“And there’s a sense of security in that last moment, knowing you’re not alone.”
Among the family members on stage was Shianne Durand, Majorie Vital’s great-niece.
- Gary Maunders
Gary Maunders was remembered as a man with a great personality and a “devoted” Manchester United football supporter.
He had a particularly close relationship with his mother and his “greatest achievement” was his children, ex-partner Ana Pumar said in a statement read out by Michael Mansfield QC.
The 57-year-old was found on the top floor of the high-rise, the 23rd. He was one of the few victims who did not live in Grenfell – he had been visiting a friend.
Ms Pumar, mother of Mr Maunders’ two youngest children, said: “Gary was without doubt a devoted and loving father, he would give everything he had to ensure his children had everything they needed and more … They miss their dad more than words can describe and have been left with a huge part of their lives missing.”
In a video presentation Mr Maunders’ nieces, Chanel and Kennita Spence, remembered their uncle.
They said: “Gary had always said that when he passes over he would want to have the Manchester United song played at his funeral and he would want to be dressed in the entire kit, scarf and everything. And that is exactly what we as a family did for him.”
Floral tributes in red and white spelling out “Dad” and forming a football were seen on the screen.
- Ali Yawar Jafari
Grandfather Ali Yawar Jafari was described by his family in a pre-recorded video tribute as a “kind person and a kind husband”.
As it played, the 82-year-old’s wife, Fatima, and his children, Maria and Hamid Ali Jafari, wiped away tears.
They spoke of how he loved travelling and animals, and once freed a pigeon whose legs were trapped in twine so it could fly.
Mr Jafari said: “I think the happiest moment he had was when my son was born, because he was attached to him a lot.
“Both of them were connected to each other so sometimes when I see my son I feel like my dad’s soul came in my son.
“When I am holding him I feel I am holding my dad because I can still smell my dad on my son.”
Speaking after the video, Mr Jafari said his father was a “real hero for the entire community”.
He said: “I have never dreamed or thought of going to heaven but now I fight every day, every second because I want to join my dad.
“And I pray every day – and I even request my friends to pray for me – that I die soon to meet my father.”
- Zainab and Jeremiah Deen
Two tributes from the family of Zainab Deen, 32, and her two-year-old son Jeremiah were read out by barrister Michael Mansfield, as he sat alongside Ms Deen’s father, Zainu, her step-mother Maria and her mother.
Zainab and her son Jeremiah were killed in the Grenfell fire, their bodies found side by side on the 14th floor.
Remembering Jeremiah, the family said: “We cannot dwell on the sadness or keep asking the question ‘why this happened to our family’. Neither will we find a reason why such a handsome and cheerful boy was taken from us at the age of two.
“Instead, we will focus on how happy he made us when he was in our lives.
“Most of all, we are happy that you are with your mother Zainab, who loved, treasured and adored you. She will keep you safe now as she protected you in life.
“Throughout your short time here on earth you were so connected with your mother that even death cannot separate you both.”
In a separate tribute to Zainab, they said: “We are so proud to be able to call you our daughter.
“We are grateful for the brief time we were able to spend with you and believe that the angels are rejoicing because one of their loved ones has rejoined them.
“Until we meet again, beautiful soul, sleep and take your rest.”
- Anthony Disson
Anthony Disson, known as Tony, was remembered by his children Harry, Alfie and Charlie as a proud father who loved encouraging their passion for boxing.
The 65-year-old doted on his grandchildren, including a baby girl who was named after him. Son Alfie said in a video recorded message: “If he was here now he’d be over the moon at what we called her.”
Mr Disson’s son from a prior relationship, Lee Disson, also paid tribute.
He said his father had been temporarily living in a caravan at a stables before contacting the council and being given a flat on the 22nd floor of Grenfell Tower.
His family rallied around and helped him furnish it from scratch.
In a statement read by barrister Michael Mansfield he said: “He loved his flat and he loved that he was still in the same area that he grew up in which he knew like the back of his hand.”
Recounting happy memories of his father, he said: “I treasure all my memories from the years we had together.”
- Hesham Rahman
A video presentation put together by family members described Hesham Rahman, 57, as a “kind, generous and with a heart of gold”, who wrote poetry and music.
Mr Rahman lived alone in Grenfell and was found dead in his flat on the top floor of the tower block.
In the film Mr Rahman’s sister Noha said he “wasn’t just my big brother, he became my best friend”.
After the video, Karim Mussilhy, Mr Rahman’s nephew, paid further tribute to his uncle, but he also expressed some of the anger many of the Grenfell victims’ families feel over the blaze, calling on “those in power” to “listen to our stories and learn from your mistakes”.
- The Choucair family
Three generations of the Choucair family died in the Grenfell fire, trapped on the 22nd floor where they lived.
They were Nadia, 33, and her husband Bassem Choukair, 40; their three children Mierna, 13, Fatima, 11, and Zainab, three; and grandmother Sirria, 60.
At the inquiry Hisam Choucair, brother to Nadia and the son of Sirria, described his mother as someone who had “lived her life for others”.
He said she was a person “whose life was family and work, [and] who never said a bad word about anybody”.
Speaking about his sister Nadia, he said “we all loved Nadia” and told how she “was a fighter” who worked hard at her job at a local school and was loved by parents, pupils and teachers alike.
Her husband Bassem also worked hard, never taking a day off work, Hisam Choucair said.
“He was an excellent father, kind, loving, considerate … he didn’t care how hard he had to work, he just wanted to provide everything for them.”
- Rania Ibrahim, Fethia and Hania Hassan
Rania Ibrahim, 31, died in the fire having live-streamed her final moments from the top of the burning building, where she was trapped with her young daughters Fethia, four, and Hania, three.
She was born in Aswan, in southern Egypt, one of seven siblings, but moved to Britain in 2009.
In a statement read to the inquiry, her sister Rasha Ibrahim told of her distress at the death of her “beloved sister”, saying: “It has been so hard. After that terrible night came a cruel time of false hope and rumours.
“I came here thinking I would be able to lay my loved ones to rest, but there were then months of uncertainty before they were identified and buried.
“To this day, the questions remain in my mind and plague me about what exactly happened – it is very important for me to take part in this process of questioning, to find out the truth.
“It is so important for me to understand how I have lost Rania, my beloved sister, while my children, who are still so young, have lost their little cousins – I cannot lay them to rest yet.”
The following day a further tribute to Rania and her two daughters – a statement on behalf of her older sister, Sayeda Ibrahim – was read out.
Sayeda Ibrahim recalled how Rania was a tomboy who was part of the Egyptian Scouts growing up, and that she moved to England in 2009.
Rania became a carer for Sayeda and her four children after her sister was diagnosed with throat cancer and her marriage ended.
Sayeda said in her statement: “It breaks my heart that she left everything in her life to come and help me, and I could not help her in the end.”
- Maria del Pilar Burton
Maria del Pilar Burton is considered to be the 72nd victim of the Grenfell Tower fire.
The 74-year-old, known as Pily, survived the fire but her health deteriorated badly following the blaze and she suffered a stroke in January and died on January 29, having never left hospital.
She had been diagnosed with dementia in 2015 and suffered great distress after she lost her home in the blaze.
Speaking at the inquiry, Nicholas Burton, her husband of 34 years, remembered her with warmth and humour, but told how the fire had changed everything in their lives.
“She was a unique, beautiful, exceptional person until this tragedy had taken it away.
“It took away her dignity and everything we had in this world. And let me tell you, no matter what indignities my wife had to suffer, my Pily was perfect.”
Mr Burton told how his Spanish wife was widely loved in north Kensington.
“She talked to everybody, and I mean everybody,” he said. “If she got into a lift, by the time she got out she knew everybody’s name and their family history.”
- Deborah Lamprell
Deborah Lamprell, known as Debbie, was described as “always smiling” in tributes paid to her as part of the inquiry.
A front-of-house staff member at Opera Holland Park (OHP), she came to live in Grenfell Tower after she moved out of the family home as a young professional to be nearer her work in west London.
In a statement read out by OHP’s Michael Volpe, on behalf of Ms Lamprell’s mother, Miriam, the inquiry heard that the 45-year-old was a “happy and fulfilled” woman who was “popular and respected” by her colleagues.
Her mother said had been concerned about the bedsits her daughter was living in.
“The conditions weren’t good and I used to badger her to put her name down with the council to get her somewhere proper to live, somewhere safe and decent,” she said.
“Of course it feels terrible to have done that now because she was given the flat in Grenfell.”
- Logan Gomes
The unborn baby was the youngest victim of the disaster, delivered stillborn hours after his parents Marcio and Andreia Gomes escaped.
Mr Gomes described his unborn son as “our little star” as struggled through tears in his tribute.
He said the whole family, including their two daughters, were “so happy” at the thought of their new arrival.
“His due date was on the 21st of August, but instead he was born on the 14th of June,” he said.
“That evening I was fortunate enough to hold my son. I held my son in my arms that evening, hoping it was all a bad dream, wishing, praying for any kind of miracle that he would open his eyes.”
The family shared images of baby Logan. Mr Gomes added: “He might not be here physically, but he will always he here in our hearts.”
- Denis Murphy
Loving father and football fan Denis Murphy, 56, was described as “the linchpin of our family” and a man who “touched the lives of so many people” by his sister Anne Marie.
“Once you had met Denis, you would never forget his warmth, wit, cheeky smile and love of life,” she said.
Irish national Mr Murphy had first moved into Grenfell Tower in 1984, together with his partner Tracey.
The family moved out after they had a son, Peter, but Mr Murphy came back to Grenfell after the breakdown of his marriage to be closer to his mother, who he visited every day.
His sister said that his focus was always on others, saying his three biggest loves in life were “his family, friends and Chelsea football club”.
“To us, Denis was an inspiration and we felt lucky and blessed that he was a part of this family,” she said.
- Mohamed Amiad Neda
The death of Mohamed ‘Saber’ Neda has left “a void that can never be filled”, his family said in a tribute.
The 57-year-old died after apparently going to help neighbours as the fire took hold.
The inquiry was played his last call to his family in which he said: “We are now leaving this world, goodbye. I hope I haven’t disappointed you.”
Mr Neda’s brother told the inquiry: “The only thing I know was that my brother was a hero.
“He gave up his life for others, he sacrificed himself in that fire in order to put others first. That is just the brave and selfless person that he was.”
A former Afghan army officer, Mr Neda had moved to the UK with his wife Folora and brought up a son, Farhad, now aged 23, in Grenfell Tower.
Farhad said his father was “a man of deep integrity and fairness” who “loved life” and was always looking to help others.
Mr Neda’s wife said that her “beloved husband” had been looking forward to the upcoming marriage of his son, and the possibility of becoming a grandfather.
“Those hopes and our dreams have been shattered,” she said.
“He was my husband, he was my best friend. I miss him so much. He will always be the love of my life.”
- Joseph Daniels
Joseph Daniels “never stood a chance” against the fire, his son Sam said in a short tribute.
“My father, Joseph Daniels, moved to London in 1982 and Grenfell Tower had been his only home since then,” he said.
“The events of that night took his life, and all trace of his existence in this world.
“He never stood a chance of getting out. It should never have happened.”
- Mary Mendy
Mary Mendy was a protector “who made it a passion to help those less fortunate than herself” and offered help to all in need, her family said.
The 52-year-old died in the fire together with her 24-year-old daughter Khadija Saye.
“She was the best aunt and sister we could have asked for,” said her sister Betty and her niece in a statement.
Mrs Mendy was a “warm and kind” person – but one who would fight to help others and “welcomed everyone into her home”, they said.
“On the night of June 14, 2014 our family lost two much-loved members. My aunt was the strong one, the fighter and the protector. The pain is unbearable. There are no words to describe the emptiness in our hearts.”
They added: “There will be two empty chairs at the table for every birthday, Christmas and New Year’s. But they will forever own a position in our hearts. We will carry their memories throughout our lives.”
In a further tribute on the inquiry’s second day, lawyer Martin Howe read a statement on behalf of Ms Mendy’s brother, Pa Sarr, who said his sister had been was an “exceptional and brilliant” tour guide who showed him around London when he first moved to the UK.
He said of Mrs Mendy and her daughter Khadija Saye: “I am not able to stop thinking about them and I do not want to.”
- Khadija Saye
Promising young artist Khadija Saye was a fast-rising star on the cusp of a professional breakthrough when she died at age 24.
She was a “very gentle and kind” person, whose love for photography brought her life’s greatest satisfaction, her father said in a statement.
Her talent was just being recognised by the art world, with her work appearing in an exhibition of emerging artists at the prestigious Venice Biennale at the time of her death.
Ms Saye was initially schooled in west London before going to win a full scholarship to Rugby school.
She then went on to the University for Creative Arts in to Farnham to study photography and was beginning to build a career as a working artist.
“Her burning passion was photography, encouraged by her mother,” her father said.
“Khadija said to me one day: ‘Daddy, I’m in love with images’. It was this passion that Khadija pursued to the end, because it gave her great satisfaction and brought her some joy and happiness.”
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