The mothers of two young boys killed when a car slammed into their classroom in East Sydney have met to comfort each other.
Andrew Encinas, nine, and his eight-year-old best friend Jihad Darwiche died last month after a two-tonne SUV ploughed into Banksia Road Public School.
Drawn together following the tragedy, the boys’ parents Nicole Encinas and Susanne Darwiche have shared their grief and the struggle of losing their children.
The mothers of the Andrew Encinas (left) and Jihad Darwiche (right), who were killed when a car slammed into their classroom in East Sydney, have met to comfort each other
The boys were tragically killed in November died last month after a two-tonne SUV ploughed into Banksia Road Public School (pictured)
Mrs Encinas said Andrew’s death had hit the family hard, especially his 13-year-old brother who had been left ‘absolutely devastated’.
‘His death has left a big hole in our lives, it’s still too raw and painful for us to talk about,’ she told The Daily Telegraph.
The devastated mother added that Andrew had been a ‘beautiful’ and ‘joyful’ child, who could light up any room he entered.
Andrew’s uncle Paul Mace said the family had been left ‘shattered’ following his death and were struggling to understand what happened.
Nicole Encinas said Andrew’s death had hit the family hard, especially his 13-year-old brother who had been left ‘absolutely devastated’ (Pictured are mourners at Andrew’s funeral)
‘His death has left a big hole in our lives, it’s still too raw and painful for us to talk about,’ Mrs Encinas said
Susanne Darwiche said she shared the other mother’s grief and feels like she ‘fighting for air’ (Picutured is Jihad’s father Raed Darwiche, right, among the mourners at Andrew’s funeral)
‘We are still trying to get our heads around the fact that we dropped him off at school in the morning and in the afternoon we had to identify his body,’ Mr Mace said.
Mrs Darwiche, who has since been visited by Mrs Encinas, said she shared her grief and that the pair had never expected to lose their sons at a ‘place you think they would be safe’.
‘I cannot sleep, I feel like I’m fighting for air and I suffer from deep anxiety,’ Mrs Darwiche told News Corp.
However, she said she harboured no animosity towards the driver and was overwhelmed by the support of the community.
Maha Al-Shennag, 52, has been charged over the incident, which occurred around 9.45am on November 7.
Maha Al-Shennag, 52, has been charged over the incident, which occurred around 9.45am on November 7
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