Leila Abdallah dedicates award to “all the bereaved mothers out there”
The Sydney woman who lost three of her six children when they were struck by a drunk and drugged driver last year has been named mother of the year.
Leila Abdallah and her husband Danny lost son Antony Abdallah, 13 and daughters Angelina Abdallah, 12, and Sienna Abdallah, eight when they were killed alongside their cousin Veronique Sakr, 11, on February 1 2020.
The kids were riding their bikes on a footpath in Oatlands, northwest Sydney, when a Mitsubishi Triton ute hit them just before 8pm.
The man behind the wheel, Samuel William Davidson, 31, was sentenced to 21 years behind bars with no parole last month at Parramatta District Court after pleading guilty to multiple charges including four counts of manslaughter, each carrying a maximum of 25 years in prison.
Leila and Danny inspired others by forgiving Davidson, saying their frustration lay with the "way our culture loves drugs and alcohol".
After winning this year’s annual accolade, Leila said she dedicated her award to all women grieving the loss of a child.
“I’d like to dedicate the award to all the bereaved mothers out there,” she told Sydney radio 2GB on Thursday.
“A lot of people have been inspired and touched with the forgiveness and they were able to forgive in their own family and accept their grief.
“Kids are the biggest joy any parents can have.”
Davidson had been drinking for 12 hours at his home nearby and was driving up to 133km/h just moments before he crashed into seven kids who were on their way to buy ice cream.
Judge James Bennett said Davidson’s “horrific” actions and “menacing” driving that day revealed he had abandoned all moral responsibility.
“The manner of driving was such that tragedy was inevitable,” Judge Bennett said. “The magnitude of the tragedy extends to the unimaginable.”
The seven children were making their way to a local IGA store when they were blindsided by the out-of-control ute around 7:50pm.
Family Voice Australia said Leila “has demonstrated grace, charity, and peace beyond measure despite the horrific loss she and her husband have suffered and continue to suffer”.
“There could be no better example of how to deal with such a significant and life-changing family disaster than Mrs Abdallah has demonstrated, even though her heart must still be breaking daily because of the loss of three of her precious children.
“Yet she continues to express forgiveness rather than seek revenge.”
Family Voice Australia is hosting the annual Mother of the Year award for the first time this year, after Barnardos Australia revealed they will not be running the award after 25 years in February.