A grieving father who lost his three children in a tragic accident involving a drunk driver five years ago has shared what he misses most about them.
On February 1, 2020, Danny and Leila Abdallah’s daughters, Sienna, 8, Angelina, 12, their son Antony, 13, and niece Veronique Sakr, 11, were fatally struck by a car in Sydney’s north-west.
The children, along with their siblings and cousins, were walking along Bettington Road in Oatlands when a vehicle veered off the road and hit them from behind.
This past Sunday, Mr. Abdallah reflected on his heartbreaking loss during an emotional Father’s Day, expressing his longing for the lively atmosphere his family life had before the accident.
“The hardest moment was coming home to a house that was flawless and silent, without any mess,” he shared with The Sunday Telegraph.
‘I used to wish for this and when I got it, I wish I had it the other way.
‘So I tell parents, don’t be upset when the house is dysfunctional and unorganised – because it becomes a home.’
Samuel Davidson, the driver responsible for the 2020 crash, was found to be heavily intoxicated and under the influence of drugs, leading to his loss of control and the catastrophic incident.
Danny and Leila Abdallah pictured with their children, including Antony (left), Angelina (right) and Sienna (front left)
Danny and Leila Abdallah (pictured) have said they forgave Samuel Davidson after he crashed into their children Sienna, Angelina and Antony in 2020, killing the three siblings
Davidson, 34, was sentenced to 20 years in prison with a non-parole period of 15 years.
His sentence was reduced from 28 years on appeal.
Last month, Mr Abdallah spoke about how he forgave the man responsible for the sake of his family and as a result of his Christian faith.
‘At the end of the day, I’ve still got three other kids. I need to be a father too and I need to be a husband to my wife, and it’s already hard enough,’ he told KIIS FM’s The Kyle & Jackie O.
‘They reckon 65 per cent of marriages fail after losing one child, let alone three. So every decision wasn’t about me, it was about them.
‘Do I pour bitterness, anger and revenge, or love, compassion and forgiveness? Because whatever I give, it’ll affect everyone in that circle.’
After the tragedy, Leila and Danny set up the i4give foundation to honour their children and their niece.
The foundation, which has an i4give day on February 1 every year, seeks to engage communities across Australia in a ‘shared embrace of the universal good of forgiveness’.
Mr Abdallah has spoken of his determination to share forgiveness despite the awful tragedy
‘Anything you do in life is a choice, not a feeling,’ Mr Abdallah said.
‘Whether it’s going to the gym, whether it’s anything you do, and that’s the same as forgiveness. It’s not a feeling. It’s a choice that you have to make.’
The Abdallah and Sakr families in 2024 unveiled a permanent memorial to their children at the crash site outside Oatlands Golf Club.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and his predecessor Scott Morrison were there, as were NSW Premier Chris Minns and former premier Dominic Perrottet, all of whom have spent time with the family since the tragedy.
Speaking at the ceremony, Mr Abdallah thanked his wife for being his ‘pillar of strength’ as they revealed four sandstone plinths featuring each of the children’s faces.
The father has previously revealed that he and Davidson now speak every month.
He said Davidson always asks him about his surviving children and his wife Leila, who recently gave birth to their eighth child.
The latest meeting with Davidson was filmed by a television crew from Seven’s Spotlight and aired in August.
Samuel Davidson (pictured) was sentenced to 20 years in prison with a non-parole period of 15 years after the fatal incident
Mr Abdallah said he wanted to show the world what his discussions with Davidson involved and that he was not a monster.
‘I never thought of the character of the person. I chose to forgive him early… and focus on my family,’ he said.
‘It was just three years later when I decided to visit him. I realised this guy could have been my son, could have been my mate.
‘You see things in a greater perspective. It’s not just you’ve done wrong by me but what’s going on? What’s happened to his family? And you look at things in a different light.’
