A heroic dad says he thought his family was going to die after he was stabbed in a sword attack in East London. Henry de los Rio Polania told MyLondon he awoke shortly before 7am on Tuesday, April 30 to find a man in his bedroom brandishing a Samurai sword.
Instantly thinking about protecting his wife Caroline and their four-year-old daughter Celeste, Henry says he tried to fend off the attacker using pillows from the bed and teddy bears belonging to his daughter. He says he nearly lost his hand and fingers in the attack.
“I thought we were going to die,” he said. “I didn’t have anything to protect myself with except a few pillows and teddies which belonged to my little one. It was a miracle I was able to protect my wife and daughter. He nearly cut off my hand and fingers.”
READ MORE: Pictures show hundreds of tributes to Daniel Anjorin, 14, who was killed in Hainault attack
Shortly after the attacker burst into Henry’s home while his daughter slept in another room, Daniel Anjorin, 14, was killed on the street outside while walking to school.
Westminster Magistrates’ Court heard yesterday (Tuesday, May 7) the teenager was “virtually decapitated” in the attack. Marcus Monzo, 36, has been charged with his murder, and appeared in court. He also faces charges of two counts of attempted murder, two counts of grievous bodily harm, one count of aggravated burglary and one of possession of a bladed article.
Henry was discharged from hospital this afternoon (Wednesday, May 8), but will need to return next week for a second surgery on his hand. The recovery from his wounds is expected to take between two and three years.
He told MyLondon his family have not been coping well since what happened. They have moved into his mother’s flat in Redbridge while they arrange for another place to live in the future.
The 35-year-old added: “I lost my job as an IT consultant in January, so I was just doing a small lighting consultancy work to get money in the meantime. It will affect me in the long term, I’m right handed and that’s the hand that was nearly cut off.
“I’ll need to start using my left arm which could take time. I need a lot of therapy and to recover more until I can work again. We felt safe in the area before the attack, I don’t know how it happened. But now it won’t feel safe for us.”
A GoFundMe page has been set up to help Henry and his family while they recover from the attack. The fundraiser organised by the Hainault community has raised £565 so far, with a goal of reaching £5,000.
Many people across London have labelled Henry a hero for stepping in, while defenceless, to protect his family. Thanking people for their “unbelievable support”, he concluded: “I have to believe that I did my best to protect my family. I think I did what I was supposed to do, what every father should do for their family.”
To donate to the GoFundMe page – click here
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