‘Beacon of light’ – Rio Ferdinand hails George Nkencho’s brother as family seek answers over DPP garda shooting decision | Y0ZH301 | 2024-05-04 00:08:01
'Beacon of light' – Rio Ferdinand hails George Nkencho's brother as family seek answers over DPP garda shooting decision | Y0ZH301 | 2024-05-04 00:08:01
FOOTIE legend Rio Ferdinand has hailed the brother of Garda shooting victim George Nkencho as "a beacon of light".
Emmanuel Nkencho was plunged into "a very, very deep, dark place" after his 27-year-old sibling George was shot multiple times by officers in a stand-off outside his west Dublin home on December 30, 2020.
George's relatives will tomorrow stage a protest outside the Department of Justice after the Director of Public Prosecutions recently ruled no charges will be brought against cops involved in the fatal shooting.
But as the reeling family seek answers over the tragedy, anguished sibling Emmanuel, 23, is trying to ease the pain by remembering George through footie.
He was recently hired as an Irish youth ambassador for the Rio Ferdinand Foundation.
Former Manchester United defender Rio, 45, has devoted much of his retirement working to tackling racism and a lack of social mobility through his foundation.
And Rio has lauded Emmanuel as a massive inspiration, declaring: "This guy is going through the layers of the foundation. He has come in and he is actually a great example to all the young people.
"He is currently on that march, he is marching through the levels and now he is coming on as one of our young ambassadors, paid young ambassadors who is going to be the beacon of light for the other ones coming underneath. He is the example, man."
Tragic George, whose family said was suffering from mental illness, was gunned down outside his home in Clonee after allegedly threatening cops with a knife.
He was shot in his front garden after his family pleaded for him to be left alone. Gardai said they felt threatened when he refused to put down the knife and attempts at non-lethal methods of disarming him had failed.
The DPP last week ruled that no charges be brought against gardai involved in the fatal shooting. But George's furious family have pledged to appeal the decision not to prosecute any officer over his death.
As the clan struggle to come to terms with their loss, brave Emmanuel has lined out at tribute games in memory of his brother.
<!-- End of Brightcove Player --> And the lad has wowed Rio, who praised his foundation's new youth ambassador after learning about Emmanuel's story.
The ex-footballer said: "I see character, I see strength, I see a resilience. And I see someone who can inspire other people.
'Big stuff'
"He has got a story . . . he has had a tough road, but the ability to rebuild yourself and come back shows the character he has. That's big stuff, man.
"And they're the type of people that you need around young people, especially the kids we're getting from disadvantaged backgrounds who have trodden a similar path, who are going through their own trials and tribulations that need to see someone."
Overjoyed Emmanuel told how he was "blessed" to score the youth ambassador gig at the Rio Ferdinand Foundation.
He said: "I'm looking to just be the best version of myself, help whoever I can help along the way."
'Dark place'
Emmanuel also opened up in a video about how the foundation helped him after George's death.
He said: "I was in a very, very deep, dark place. I have suffered depression, I've gone through all the emotions that you can think of.
"So I was in a place where I felt I was stuck, confused. I didn't know which way to go or what path to take."
Family and friends of the Nkenchos last night told the Irish Sun of their "huge pride" in Emmanuel being appointed by the Rio Ferdinand Foundation as a youth ambassador.
And relatives called for answers over George's fatal shooting.
One family member told us: "We will never give up on the fight for justice for George."
More >> https://ift.tt/tApTRGk Source: MAG NEWS
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