'I lost my son, my father and my brother in the Tunisia terror attack 10 years ago - here's how I kept going and lived through the grief in the West Midlands'
Suzanne Richards, co-founder of the West Midlands charity Smile for Joel, tells us how she has coped since losing three members of her family in the Tunisian terror attack in 2015.
Wednesbury resident Suzanne Richards' life was turned upside down when her son Joel, father Pat and brother Ade were tragically killed in the terror attack at a popular resort of Port El Kantaoui, just north of Sousse, on June 26, 2015.
The atrocity unfolded at around 11.15am local time (10.15am GMT) after gunman Seifeddine Rezgui arrived by van a short distance away from the beach.
CCTV footage showed Rezgui make his way along the beach carrying a parasol that was concealing an AK-47 assault rifle before he began firing indiscriminately at tourists on the beach near the five-star Hotel Riu Imperial Marhaba.
The so-called Islamic State (IS) claimed responsibility for the attack, with 38 people losing their lives, 30 of whom were British nationals.
In the intervening decade Suzanne and her surviving son Owen have been tirelessly working to help raise money for the families of terror attacks and murder victims, launching the charity Smile for Joel in the name of her late family members.
However, Suzanne said the terror attack is still fresh in her mind, saying that looking back, she now believes she was actually 'lucky', adding that she could have lost her whole family.
'I could have lost them all'
A decade on from the attack, Suzanne told the Express & Star: "It might sound horrible, but I was quite lucky. I could just as easily have lost my whole family that day, Owen included.
"I wouldn't have survived that. There wouldn't have been a reason for going on. Having Owen here with me, that's what kept me going."
Following the attack, members of Suzanne's community came together to raise funds for her family - but, while appreciative of the support, she said she struggled with feeling 'embarrassed and awkward'.
She said: "It was strange. After the attack, so many people offered their support, that we were inundated with offers for help from the community and even people we didn't know.
"It did help, but we couldn't help but feel awkward. We had so much money being offered, I remember thinking that we needed to do something positive and meaningful with this money."
'Smile for Joel'
Suzanne and her son Owen launched the 'Smile for Joel' charity soon after, with the aim of offering support to families affected by murder and manslaughter by offering short break holidays and leisure gifts.
Suzanne said that the moments of reprieve give families a chance to 'come to terms' with the change in family dynamic, and to make new memories together 'in a time when they need it the most'.
She said: "These things that we offer, they give families a chance to come to terms with what has happened. They give experiences that help to build new memories and to give a much-needed break.
"That time to build new memories is extremely valuable, their whole family dynamic might have changed, so it's important to come to terms with that.
"Just recently there was a young lad who died three years ago, we have helped his family and now they also do a fundraising football match in his name, they give the proceeds to charities like us and pay it forward.
"This type of support, it would have really helped both me and Owen, there wasn't really anything like that then, but it would have really helped."
'I couldn't do this without him'
In June 2023, Suzanne received an MBE for her work with Smile for Joel, however, she described the moment as bittersweet, saying that it was 'lovely to be honoured' but wished it 'was under different circumstances'.
She said: "It was a bittersweet moment when I received the MBE for the charity work.
"It was lovely to be honoured, but I do wish it was under different circumstances."
Ten years on, Suzanne said she is proud of everything the charity has done and that "none of this would have been possible" without the help of her son Owen, or the volunteers whose support she feels 'blessed' to have.
She said: "We have all done so much, and myself and Owen are always so grateful. We are really blessed to have the support of everyone who helps us.
"But I couldn't have done any of this without Owen by my side. He was only 16 at the time it happened, and the strength and bravery he has shown: I couldn't have done this without him."
Suzanne said that she plans to mark the 10th anniversary with more fundraising, this time taking to the skies in a daring wing walk.
'Fly for Joel' will see Suzanne and six others strapped to the top of a plane to raise money for charity in memory of all those who lost their lives in the terror attack.
Anyone who would like to donate to Smile for Joel can find more information on the charity's website.
