‘Hero’ dad who protected family from Hainault sword attacker reunited with daughter
A ‘hero’ father who shielded his wife and four-year-old daughter from the Hainault samurai sword attacker has reunited with his family.
Henry De Los Rios Polania, 35, an IT engineer from the northeast London suburb, sustained a deep wound to his hand in the Tuesday stabbing spree.
Daniel Anjorin, 14, described as someone ‘always full of happiness and joy’, was killed in the attack. Marcus Arduini Monzo is accused of the schoolboy’s murder.
Henry was one of four people injured in the 22-minute-long rampage, suffering from a deep wound to his hand after the assailant broke into his home.
Henry paid tribute to his daughter in an Instagram Story yesterday evening, sharing a photo of the pair from his Royal London Hospital bed.
‘I have no other words but she is my angel,’ wrote Henry, with the photo showing the toddler resting in his arms with a smile.
‘Daddy will soon be home.’
In a second post, a video showed a woman bending down to place flowers at the memorial to Daniel on the residential street where he lived.
Henry added: ‘Daniel Anjorin, we are extremely sorry. You did not deserve such tragedy.
‘There are no words to convey how terrible this is. Our deepest sympathies to you and your family. Rest in peace, Daniel.
‘Our hearts are breaking for you. We will forever remember you, young King!’
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Henry, his partner and child were asleep when they ‘opened their eyes to see a man with a big machete sword’, his sister Jessica De Los Rio said.
She said her sibling’s road to recovery will be a long one.
‘To us, he’s our hero. He protected them – my niece and my sister-in-law,’ she added.
Henry, a keen traveller according to his Instagram page, and his family are originally from Colombia but have lived in the UK for several years.
Monzo, 36, of Newham, has been charged with two counts of attempted murder, two counts of grievous bodily harm, aggravated burglary and possession of a bladed article.
He appeared in court on Thursday.
Just before 7am on Tuesday, the police received reports of a vehicle being driven into a house and several people being stabbed.
The episode, which not appear to be linked to terrorism, saw two people and two police officers injured.
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