The father of two girls, who were stabbed to death in the Southport attack, runs the London Marathon in memory of their daughter.
David Stancom and Sergio Agiar said their daughters, 7-year-old Elsie. Stancom and Nice of Alice Agiar, will be mentally with them as they run the 26-mile course on Sunday.
Elsie, Alice, and six-year-old Bebe King was killed in a knife attack in a Taylor Swift-themed dance class last July. At the time, injured killer Axel Ludakbana was found guilty of murder and serves at least 52 years in prison.
Speaking at BBC breakfast, Aguiar said he spoke to Alice while he was running. “I tell her to continue going with me. We’re going to do this together.
Stancom said he was first encouraged to race Elsie after watching it on TV last year. She said he never expected to join his little girl as he intended to run it in honor of her grandmother.
“My little bit was like, ‘Yeah, okay, Elle’,” he said. “I didn’t think I’d do it for these reasons.”
He has already completed the half marathon in his daughter’s memory and has raised money for Elsie’s story.
Having not had much running experience before training for the marathon, Agiarl is raising funds for the new playground, stage and library at Churchtown Elementary School, where his daughter and Bebe attended.
“26 miles, I’ve never done anything like that before. But for my girl, I’ll do 26 or 50,” he said. “Pain doesn’t matter, I’m going to do it.”
Alexandra Agier, Alice’s mother, feels that her daughter will accompany her father in spirit during the marathon. “She’s always with us, and she’ll be helping her daddy,” she said. “[Alice] I’d have done that big thing and told everyone. She also brought her shopping list after the marathon! ”
Bebe’s mother, Lauren King, joins the race to support her husband Bebe’s father and pair.
She added: “They were so wonderful, caring little kids, and even if none of them knew each other, they were all very similar.
