EXCLUSIVE: ‘I promise you I will fight until my last breath to keep your memory alive’- remembering Ricky Hayden on his birthday.

Today should have been Ricky Hayden’s 32nd birthday. Today should have been the day you celebrated with your family. Today should have been the day you blew your candles out. Today you should have been with your parents, brother and sister, and your nephews. Today should have been but it isn’t because your life was taken away by knife crime.

Ricky was macheted outside of his house on September 13th 2016, the day that destroyed a family that will never recover. Ricky heard a disturbance outside of his house on Gibbfield Close in Romford and ran out to prevent his brother’s scooter from being stolen. He had his leg macheted, his father and brother were also attacked and the family dog had his throat slashed in acts of pure violence. Ricky was rushed to hospital where his leg was amputated but due to the severe loss of blood Ricky’s life machine was stopped.

Put yourself in that family’s shoes for just one minute. Imagine having to end the life of a person that is part of you, your own flesh and blood. It really is unimaginable. Sue, Ricky’s mother and her family will never recover from the loss of their son and brother. They make it their mission to make sure that his life is never forgotten.

Sue told the Havering Daily: “Rick it’s been nearly five years without you. Each day get’s harder and harder, the family miss you so much and just wish we could turn back time. You are missing out on your nephews growing up and we know you would have been such a brilliant uncle.

“I promise you I will fight until my last breath to keep your memory alive and keep knife crime at the top of the list of priorities for our politicians. We never got the justice we deserved but my voice will be heard on just how wrong our justice system is.”

Sue and her family like many other knife crime victims fight endlessly and tirelessly to help prevent further acts of violence on our streets. Yet nobody chooses to listen, nobody chooses to care, nobody steps up to help these mothers tackle a problem that is clearly another pandemic on our streets. The police do the best that they can and work hard to tackle knife crime, but this cannot be solved by just the police. This needs communities to come together with support from our leaders and help put a stop to this.

The Mayor of London has been asked, begged and pleaded with to make his voice heard, but he has so far chosen to remain silent and not even meet these many bereaved mothers.

Happy birthday Ricky, I’m sure you are looking down on your family today with much love and they want you to know you are always in their heart and that your name will never be forgotten.