The young boy, Yannis, who was tragically killed in the stabbing attack in Aschaffenburg has been buried in Morocco next to his late grandfather on Wednesday, marking traumatic moments for his family, as the face “the most difficult journey of our lives,” said his uncle, Fakir Jaouad (55), in an interview with RTL.
“We are all flying from Frankfurt to Casablanca on Tuesday at 3 p.m.,” Jaouad shared. “Yannis will be laid to rest in Morocco on Wednesday at 1 p.m.” The boy’s final resting place is in the village of Ras Tabouda.
The tragedy of January 22 changed the family’s life forever. Yannis was visiting Schöntal Park in Aschaffenburg with a group from the Kindernest Grenzlos daycare center, which cares for children between the ages of one and three for a few hours each morning.
Suddenly, a man armed with a kitchen knife broke into the space, stabbing several children. Yannis was gravely injured and succumbed to his wounds. During the incident, Kai-Uwe D. (41), who tried to intervene, was also fatally wounded, sacrificing his life in an act of bravery. Two others, including a two-year-old Syrian girl, were seriously injured.
The suspect, 28-year-old Enamullah O. from Afghanistan, had been ordered to leave the country. Following the attack, he was placed in a psychiatric hospital.
Three days after the tragic incident, around 1,000 people gathered for Yannis’ funeral prayer in Frankfurt. The family chose to hold the service at a mosque in Frankfurt, as the one in their hometown of Aschaffenburg was too small to accommodate the mourners. The following day, the people of Aschaffenburg came together to grieve and support one another.
For Yannis’ loved ones, the reality of his absence is unbearable. “His little brother keeps asking about him and says he wants to go to paradise too, to be with his brother,” says Fakir Jaouad. “This is the hardest time of our lives. We were able to see Yannis on Saturday and give him one last kiss.”
Despite the profound sorrow, Jaouad is determined to stand by his grieving family. “I will always be there for Yannis’ mother and little brother. I will support them for the rest of my life,” he vows.