Christine Archibald, 30, from British Columbia, Canada
Archibald’s father, Greg, told the inquest that his daughter was “gentle but determined”. She “finally found her calling” when she started training as a social worker, he said, and she took a job working with people who had substance addictions. “As her family, we worried that she was too gentle for such difficult and heart-wrenching work. She proved us wrong over and over again,” he said.
“Chrissy believed from the bottom of her soul that each and every person is worthy of respect,” her father added. “She knew that the imaginary line that separates any of us from homelessness, addiction or mental illness, is easily erased by trauma, unfortunate circumstances or illness.”
Archibald got together with her partner, Tyler Ferguson, in a “full-blown, hearts-a-twitter romance”. She followed him to the Netherlands for his work and they got engaged. At the beginning of June 2017, she joined him on a business trip in London. “They were walking back to their hotel across London Bridge when suddenly it was over,” her father said. “In spite of the heroic efforts of many people, Chrissy died.”
Ferguson told the inquest: “Chrissy’s ring was initially lost but during the cleanup of the bridge it was found and returned to me. I still wear it on a gold chain around my neck.”
Xavier Thomas, 45, from Loire-Atlantique, France
In a statement read to the inquest in French and English, Thomas’s father, Philippe Pesez, described his son as hyperactive and said his mind was “always full of plans – for himself, his children, his work.” Thomas loved his job at American Express, where he had worked for 25 years; in 2016, he was voted the best agent in his department and honoured at the company’s head office.
The inquest heard that Thomas had a strong bond with his children, Noémie and Nicolas, of whom he had sole custody. “He was very caring, they were the apple of his eye,” his father said. “He looked after their education, their sports and other activities and ran the household, always in good spirits, without complaining about the problems he might have to face, and always managing to keep smiling during the most challenging times.
“On 3 June 2017, barbarians who can in no way be described as humans took his life and destroyed that of a family, leaving his two children, his parents, his partner and her daughter in inconsolable despair and with such a violent emotional shock. We have been totally devastated by the way in which he was taken from us, in a horrible and tragic way by this blind and heinous act of terrorism.”
Sara Zelenak, 21, from Queensland, Australia
Zelenak was working in London as an au pair. Her mother, Julie Wallace, told the inquest that her daughter had quickly settled into and embraced London life. “On that fatal night, every sliding door slid for Sara to be in harm’s way,” Wallace said. Zelenak had meant to be working but got the night off; she was going to a rooftop bar but could not find it and so ended up in Borough Market.
“Everyone that knew Sarz or lived in our town in the Redlands, Queensland, Australia, has been affected,” she said. “No one has ever died from a terrorist attack in the Redlands. That only happens on TV in another country. It couldn’t be real, I thought. Well, unfortunately, it does happen and it’s a world problem.”
Sébastien Bélanger, 36, from Angers, France
In a profile written by Bélanger’s mother, Josiane, and read to the court by his brother Julien, she said her son was born “small, skinny, full of life and full of mischief”. He found a passion for cooking and trained as a chef, a profession that would take him to London and a job as head chef at the Coq d’Argent restaurant. “I am so very proud of him,” she said. “He worked very hard but also liked partying with his friends. When he was unwell or when he burned himself, he would still go to work. He was impulsive but always generous towards others. Always ready to help. We miss him so much.”
Kirsty Boden, 28, from Loxton, Australia
Boden was living with her boyfriend, James Hodder, in north London and working as a nurse. Hodder told the inquest he met Boden when they moved into the same shared flat. “She completely floored me with her smile and kindness and I very quickly fell in love with her,” he said.
“Anyone who met Kirsty knew that she was special. Whether it was through her smile, the kind words she would always have or the fact that she would always move heaven and earth to be there for you.” He said the fact that Boden died after running to the scene to try to help others came as no surprise to anybody who had known her.
James McMullan, 32, from Brent, north London
James’s sister Melissa told the inquest that the last time she saw her brother was on her 30th birthday, a few weeks before the attack. “Little did I know that would be the last time I would see him alive,” she said.
His father, Simon McMullan, paid tribute to his “funny, charming, clever and unique” son, who he said was excited about his plans to launch an e-learning business. “James could talk the socks off anyone he met,” he said. “In a crowded pub, a bustling office or a noisy festival, he could turn his attention to you and make you feel as though you were the most important person there.”
Ignacio Echeverría, 39, from As Pontes, Spain
Echeverría had lived in London for a year and a half and was working for HSBC as a financial crime compliance analyst. In a family statement read to the court by their lawyer, they said he would have “frank, direct and honest conversations” with people, “internally struggling with social conventions when not in line with his principles”.
His passion for skateboarding put him in contact with many younger people who saw him as a role model, they said. On the day he died, he had been skateboarding with friends, moving from one London skate spot to another. He had planned to go for dinner at his sister’s house but decided to delay his visit because he was having such a good time.
Alexandre Pigeard, 26, from Normandy, France
Pigeard’s family paid tribute to him with a piece of film played to the court. The film said the 26-year-old was “a child from the coast and an expert in sandcastles”, with a passion for electronic music and a plan to move back to France and open a restaurant. His love of a good party earned him the nickname “king of the night” from his friends.
His father, Philippe, told the inquest it had been 703 days since his son was taken from him. He said Alexandre was killed after he rushed to help other people, thinking there had been a road traffic accident. He said there were still questions about how the attacks could have happened when the UK had been on such a high alert for terrorism.
