Driss Atounane Hero Belgium Tram Sacrifice

A few days after the tragedy that occurred in tram 55, Sami, 17, recounts his father’s final act. On Thursday, July 23, Driss intervened to protect a 67-year-old woman who was being attacked inside the tram. Struck on the head, he was then hospitalized, before succumbing to his injuries.

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The prosecutor’s office is continuing its investigation to establish precisely the link between the blows received and his death. For his son, Driss’s gesture corresponded to the man he had always known. "My father was someone who always helped others. If someone was in difficulty, he couldn’t look away," he confides to Sudinfo.

Soukaina, the daughter of the assaulted passenger, believes Driss saved her mother’s life. In a tram that was packed, he would have been the only passenger to intervene. "Everyone must know that Driss was a hero," she insists.

Driss, alone facing the assault

An entrepreneur and father of three, Driss worked hard to secure his children’s future. He also participated in volunteer actions and fundraising campaigns to support families living in the mountains of Morocco.

"I feel him here, in my heart. He left as a hero," testifies Sami. Neighbors opened a fundraiser to support the family and contribute to funeral expenses. Nearly 2,500 euros had been raised in about twenty hours, before the collection was temporarily suspended at the request of relatives.

The funeral prayer is scheduled for Friday, July 31 at the Attaouba mosque in Evere. Driss Atounane will then be buried in the multi-faith cemetery of the municipality.

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