More than a year after the tragedy struck the Grenfell Tower in London, the pain and suffering still lives on in the loved ones of those that died in the horrific blaze.
The fire broke out on June 14, 2017, and raged for two-days with fire fighters working tirelessly to try and douse the flames. By the time the dust had settled, 72 people had lost their lives, including two who had later died at the hospital. The impact on the community and the people of London in general was devastating.
Three months later, an inquiry was launched into the events.
The British royal family has also done their best to console the traumatized survivors, with Prince William famously hugging a woman whose husband went missing in the fire as he and the queen made an unplanned visit to speak with the victims.
As reported by Daily Mirror , 14-months later, the tragedy is still remembered by the young royal, who recently joined in efforts to rebuild the boxing club that was destroyed in the fire. The gym had been located in the basement of Grenfell Tower.
A DIY SOS team was recently put together to give the club a new home, in the hopes that it will help the fire’s victims heal from their hurt.
The Duke of Cambridge volunteered his services to the team, and contributed to the job of building the new home of the boxing club. The second-in-line to the throne even donned a reflective vest and a hardhat as he went about his business on the building site.
William has also met with many of the survivors from the fire, including 14-year-old Jodie, who tragically lost a close friend in the blaze. The prince offered some comforting words to the distraught teen, who admitted he didn’t know how to cope with the loss without the boxing club.
“It’s a horrible process to have to go through. You have got the right people around you and I hope you talk about it. You’ve got to talk about how much you miss your friends, that’s perfectly normal and keep boxing as well. I can see that twinkle in your eyes, you’re going to be good.”
Many of the victims of the fire are still living in hotels with nowhere else to go. The prince has argued that “it’s very hard to get back to a normal” all while living in a hotel room.
He lauded the efforts of the DIY SOS team in trying to give the people who were directly affected by Grenfell something to look forward to, and something that can be an escape for them.