Oatlands crash: Abdallah family shows Christmas spirit through i4give Day

The 11-year-old sister of three of the victims of February’s Oatlands crash said one sentence to her parents which completely changed their mindset.

Crushed by the loss of three of their children, Danny and Leila Abdallah almost couldn’t bring themselves to put up a tree this Christmas.

Antony, 13, Angelina, 12, and Sienna, 8, Abdallah along with their cousin Veronique Sakr, 11, died last February when a drunk driver veered onto a footpath where they happened to be walking at Oatlands in Sydney’s west.

Christmas was always going to be hard for their parents. Especially as Angelina — who Danny called his “little helper” — would have turned 13 on Christmas Eve.

Emergency services holding sheets after the Oatlands crash. Picture: Steve Tyson

Leila Abdallah (in the grey cardigan) grieving at the site where three of her children were killed is a car crash in Oatlands in February. Picture: Adam Yip

Danny and Leila initially didn’t want to do anything to celebrate Christmas until their daughter Liana, 11, mentioned her two little brothers Alex, 6, and Michael, 4, and said: “We’ve lost our brother and sisters and we’re going to lose Christmas too?”

“We decided to say, ‘you know what? No, it’s not about us, it’s about our kids’,” said Danny. “And we decided to put up the Christmas tree and get together as a family. We’re doing it for the kids more than anything else.”

The deaths of the four children plunged their families into darkness, but somehow they were able to take the extraordinary step of forgiving motorist Samuel Davidson, 30, who will be sentenced on manslaughter charges next year.

Leila and Danny Abdallah pictured with their kids Liana 11, Alex 6 and Michael 4. Picture: Rohan Kelly

The Daily Telegraph can reveal the Abdallah and Sakr families will start i4give day, with the backing of the NSW government, to be held annually on February 1, the date of the crash. It will be launched with a memorial service on January 31.

People across NSW will be encouraged to reflect on the need for forgiveness in their own lives and look to the ­example set by the Abdallah and Sakr families.

Danny said if his family remained angry over the crash it would only make things worse, but he added there must be justice and that he’s placed his faith in the law.

“An unforgiving heart, it’s like weeds in your soul,” he said. “Forgiveness is more for the forgiver than the forgiven.

“There’s a lot of psychological benefits … not just for yourself, but the impact on your family.”

The family is starting a forgiveness day each year on January 31 called 'I 4give'. Picture: Rohan Kelly

Veronique’s mum, Bridget Sakr, said Christmas was often a difficult time for many families. “I hope people can reflect on what so tragically happened to our beautiful children to mend bridges with estranged family members and move forward ... life is too precious,” she said.

Mental Health Minister Bronnie Taylor said the ­impact of a tragedy like the Oatlands crash was profound.

“For some people ... forgiveness may play a healing role as part of the grieving process,” she said.

“This day is about honouring Antony, Angelina, Sienna and Veronique – their families have shown amazing strength.”