A British dad was forced to choose between which of his two kids to save.
Camera IconA British dad was forced to choose between which of his two kids to save. Credit: Supplied

Dad forced to make agonising choice over which child to save before both were killed

The Sun, staff writersNews Corp Australia Network

A British dad was forced to make a heartbreaking decision to choose one of his two dying teenage children to rescue following a suicide terror attack in Sri Lanka.

The Sun reports that Daniel, 19, and Amelie Linsey, 15, were staying at the Shangri-La hotel in Colombo with their father Matthew when they were killed by a bomb blast on Easter Sunday.

Matthew last night told of the desperate decision he faced over which of his injured children to save after they were caught in the bomb attacks.

Matthew Linsey was forced to choose which of his dying children to rescue following the bomb blast in Sri Lanka.
Camera IconMatthew Linsey was forced to choose which of his dying children to rescue following the bomb blast in Sri Lanka. Credit: Supplied

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Speaking to The Times, he said he believed that Amelie had sustained less serious injuries than Daniel so he chose to carry his son downstairs leaving his daughter with other survivors.

He tried to revive Daniel before taking him to a hospital, where an attempted heart massage failed to save his life.

Mr Linsey later found out that his daughter had also died.

Amelie Linsey, 15, fled the Shangri-La hotel when a suicide bomber detonated his device, only to be killed by second explosion.
Camera IconAmelie Linsey, 15, fled the Shangri-La hotel when a suicide bomber detonated his device, only to be killed by second explosion. Credit: Supplied
Daniel Linsey, 19, was on the last day of a three-week holiday.
Camera IconDaniel Linsey, 19, was on the last day of a three-week holiday. Credit: Supplied

He said: “You can’t describe how bad it was. People were screaming. I was with my children. I couldn’t tell whether they were all right, it was dark.

“We both went to where the lifts were and I couldn’t move them, they were both knocked out. My son looked worse than my daughter. I tried to revive him.

The Shangri-la hotel in Colombo, where the bomb went off.
Camera IconThe Shangri-la hotel in Colombo, where the bomb went off. Credit: AP

“A lady said she’d take my daughter. I carried my son downstairs to an ambulance, we took him to the hospital.

“I yelled, ‘Please help my son, please help, please help.’ I thought my daughter was better off. I couldn’t find her because I was with my son. They sadly passed away.”

Millionaire hedge fund manager Matthew, 61, miraculously survived, suffering cuts to his face. He was back at home in Kensington, West London on Monday.

Their elder brother David, 21, also spoke about the tragedy, saying: “They were in a breakfast restaurant on the third floor when there was the first explosion.

Daniel and Amelie’s father miraculously survived the blast.
Camera IconDaniel and Amelie’s father miraculously survived the blast. Credit: Supplied

“They tried to run away and out of the hotel. Then there was a second explosion.

“My brother and sister were ahead and dad about a metre behind. When the second one went off they were caught in the blast.”

David added: “Daniel and Amelie were the most loving people.

“My sister held the whole family together. My brother was the nicest person you could imagine.

“I can’t describe just how devastating it is. No one ever thinks this could happen.

“My dad hasn’t said much. Only that they were caught up in the second blast.

“They took both my sister and brother to hospital but they couldn’t do anything.

“I think they were both dead before they got there.

“We already miss them so much. My dad seems physically OK but really shocked.

“He’s trying to help my mum and younger brother.”

The Linseys are one of three British families who have been brutally ripped apart by the horrific bomb attacks.

FAMILIES RIPPED APART

The father of an 11-year-old boy who was killed in the attacks has said the terrorists who were responsible robbed the world of a great mind.

Alexande Arrow said the terrorists robbed the world of a great mind.
Camera IconAlexande Arrow said the terrorists robbed the world of a great mind. Credit: Supplied

“I don’t know what is in the mind of a terrorist, but I’m sure they do not know what they took, they do not know what they took from the world,” Alexander Arrow said of his son, Kieran Shafritz de Zoysa.

“They took a great mind who was going to be a neuroscientist and work on Alzheimer’s diseases.”

Kieran Shafritz de Zoysa and his mother.
Camera IconKieran Shafritz de Zoysa and his mother. Credit: Supplied

Mr Arrow, who is the CEO at San Diego biomedical firm Zelegent, told KTNV-TV that he last heard from his son less than an hour before he was killed while in line for breakfast.

“He texted me back “can’t talk right now” because he was in the elevator going to breakfast,” Mr Arrow said.

“It was about an hour after that when my phone started ringing.”

Mr Arrow said Kieran’s mother, who survived the attack, was calling him about the bombing.

He said he was told by doctors that his son was killed instantly by the suicide bomber.

“The terrorists didn’t know what they were killing, but we should know what the world lost,” Mr Arrow said.

Mr Arrow is the CEO of a San Diego based business.
Camera IconMr Arrow is the CEO of a San Diego based business. Credit: Supplied
he said his son was to become a neuroscientist.
Camera Iconhe said his son was to become a neuroscientist. Credit: Supplied, Suplied

Mr Arrow said his son was about to finish a semester in Sri Lanka before returning back to the US to the prestigious Sidwell Friends school in Washington, DC.

“He was learning Chinese and Sinhalese and Mandarin,” Arrow told ABC News.

”He was into karate, which he took to. He wasn’t much for soccer or softball, but he loved karate. He played the trumpet and all the games.

“He had a month or two to finish in Sri Lanka and was going to come back for the summer in July and start 7th grade in DC.”

In a separate interview, he told ABC: “Now he’ll never be a teenager. He was going to make a major contribution to this world.”

This article originally appeared inThe Sunand has been reproduced here with permission.