Durban - Charmaine King may have forgiven her son’s killers, but the heartache of losing a child is a heavy burden she will have to bear into the future.
On Saturday the Newlands East mother of three bade farewell to her eldest son, Montreal, 20, who was stabbed to death in an altercation between two groups of men at the Durban Day music concert held last Sunday.
She and more than 1 000 others paid homage to the young soccer enthusiast at his funeral, held at the Assembly of God Church in Newlands East on Saturday morning.
At the service, many friends and family members wore T-shirts with Montreal’s picture on them, and his favourite number, 5.
Printed on the back was one of the deceased young man’s favourite sayings: “Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing themselves.”
Close friends and family cried and laughed when they paid tribute to him.
One friend said he would be prepared to: “Give up the world just to see his friendly smile again.”
The anguished mother told the Sunday Tribune on Friday that her faith was helping to sustain her. “What happened is tragic and I am hurting, but I know that everything in life is according to God’s plan, and I need to accept that,” she said.
King held a picture of her son bearing the letters RIP, and the dates of his birth and death.
“My boy wanted to be a police officer. He wanted to make a difference in his community. Three weeks ago he reapplied to the force and was so excited that he would make the grade,” she said. “Montreal was an inspiration and he tried to motivate others with his positivity.”
King recounted memories from the last time she saw her son, on the day he was killed.
“It was Montreal’s first Durban Day event. Before he left he told me to bake a cake for him to eat when he got back. He gave me a hug like he always did, and left.
“I had just finished baking a batch of cupcakes when I received the call,” said King.
Tributes continued to flow in on social media platforms on Saturday as Montreal was buried.
King said she was overwhelmed by the support the family was receiving and thanked local and international well-wishers for their contributions to the funeral service.
Montreal was an active soccer player. He played for many soccer clubs, his most recent team being the captain of the Reserve Team for Juventus Football Club in Durban North.
His coach, Jorge Suarez, said that the team celebrated Montreal’s life.
“He has been part of our organisation since 2012 and has grown in the sport. Monty was full of life and the joker of the team,” he said.
Suarez said Montreal had been looking forward to playing two more games in the KZN Premiere League.
East Coast Radio, which hosted the Durban Day event, said this week that the station would be working closely with the police to ascertain the circumstances that led to Montreal’s death.
Police spokesman Thulani Zwane said that there had been an altercation between two groups of men, from Wentworth and Newlands East, resulting in the stabbing.
The groups were allegedly trading insults when one of the men stabbed Montreal in the chest.
Zwane said the assailant fled the scene. The assailant’s friend then kicked the dying victim.
Two other people were hurt during the incident.
The alleged killers, Tristan Augustus, 18, and Radley Warner, 19, appeared in the Durban Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday and were charged with murder and attempted murder.
They will appear in court next week for a formal bail application.
Sunday Tribune