The mother of Yousef Makki tragically died herself just over a year after her son was stabbed to death. Her family said she died 'with a broken heart.'
Debbie Makki's life was torn apart when 17 year-old Yousef, who had won a scholarship to Manchester Grammar School, was knifed by a pal in the affluent south Trafford village of Hale Barns. Talented Yousef, from a humble family in Burnage, south Manchester, was stabbed through the heart with an illegal flick blade during an altercation on March 2, 2019.
One of Yousef's friends, Joshua Molnar, was later acquitted of his murder at a Manchester Crown Court trial. Molnar, from Hale, was found not guilty of murder and manslaughter after telling a jury Yousef pulled a knife on him and that he acted in self-defence.
Molnar, who was 17 at the time, was sentenced to a 16-month detention and training order after he admitted possessing the knife which inflicted the fatal injury, and lying to police.
Adam Chowdhary, also 17 at the time, from Hale Barns, was handed a four-month detention and training order after he admitted possessing a flick-knife.
In wake of the court case, Debbie, along with her daughter Jade Akoum, began campaigning on knife crime. Debbie told an anti-knife crime summit at Manchester Cathedral in the Autumn of 2019 about the moment a surgeon turned to her at a hospital and solemnly shook his head to indicate that Yousef was gone.
She bravely recalled how it felt to not be able to hold him because his body was now considered to be evidence.
And she spoke of the pain of not being with her son during his final moments, as he lay dying in the street. With her daughter Jade by her side, Debbie called for longer sentences for those who carry knives - and urged those present to teach young people that knife crime is never acceptable.
She said at the time: "We are completely broken, all we can try and do is change things for our kids, for the future. Every city has seen the effects of knife crime, it's taken young lives and devastated families like ours."
How did Debbie die?
Mother and grandmother Debbie, 55, was rushed to hospital by ambulance after being taken ill on Friday May 2020. She tested negative for Covid-19 and her family said it was believed she had an infection that developed into sepsis.
She spent her final hours in the Intensive Care Unit at Wythenshawe Hospital before her shock and sudden death on Sunday May, 24. Following her passing, her daughter Jade said that national coronavirus lockdown had 'isolated' her mum from her beloved grandchildren, who had 'kept her going' as she grieved for her son.
In a moving statement, the Makki and Makoum families' said their lives had 'fallen apart all over again.' "It is with a broken heart that we have to share this devastating news," they said.
"Our beloved mum and nana, so loved by everyone who knew her, died in the early hours of this morning. She was rushed to hospital via ambulance two days ago after struggling at home.
"The doctors told us she was critical. She was not strong enough to fight. Lockdown isolated my mum from her grandchildren, who kept her going and she had too much time to think about the loss of Yousef.
"We were unable to be with her in her last moments, just as we were unable to be with Yousef, but they are together now, which brings us some comfort."
Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham was among those to pay tribute saying: ""Debbie was such a lovely person and deserved so much more."
Daughter Jade said: "My mum's mental and physical health had deteriorated dramatically over the past year. Her heart was broken and the spark in her eyes had gone. The toll of losing Yousef was colossal.
"My mum was the strongest, bravest lady I have ever met and we will miss her dearly. We want to thank everyone who has supported us throughout and will continue to do so."
In November 2020 Jade gave birth to a baby boy - and named him after her brother in a move she said was supported by her mum and Yousef's father Ghaleb Makki. Earlier this month, Yousef's family marked the third anniversary of his death by launching a charity bearing his name.
The Yousef Makki Foundation will provide educational hardship funds for young people with a 'similarly disadvantaged background to Yousef'. Once an initial £10,000 has been raised, the funds will help 'dozens of young people' in and around Greater Manchester to 'excel in their educational endeavors'.
His family said: "Despite the tragedy, our family has faced, we believe that Yousef would have wanted us to do something positive in his name and we remain eternally grateful to his many supporters for their support of the Foundation and for their donations to support the next generation of Yousef Makkis."
