‘Ċaw Qalbi, I Love You’: JeanPaul’s Girlfriend And Loved Ones Give Him Final Farewell In Emotional Swatar Funeral
Mourners packed Swatar’s parish church today to share their final farewell to 20-year-old JeanPaul Sofia, the Maltese youth who lost his life in a building site collapse in Kordin.
The senseless loss of the young man’s life shocked the nation – and his funeral this morning was an emotional affair, with his partner, friends, family and loved ones grieving openly as tributes poured in for the Maltese teen taken before his time.
Among the most heartbreaking moments was his partner Kelly’s farewell, who said she’d never forget him, smiling emotionally as she spoke about his character, his passion for cars and why he meant so much to her.
“Ċaw qalbi, I love you,” were the last words JeanPaul ever told Kelly, she recounted.
Dun Robert Grech, celebrating the mass, spoke directly to the youth in the church, telling them that JeanPaul has given them all a gift – the possibility of being close to Jesus Christ.
Bouquets of flowers adorned the altar as photos of the fallen youth were strewn among written dedications – and right at the front of it all sat John and Isabelle, JeanPaul’s grieving parents.
JeanPaul's body was found after an extensive search through the rubble of a collapsed building; several other men are still battling their injuries
Speaking to Lovin Malta, JeanPaul’s family spoke on the horror they felt when they received the call informing them of the accident.
“It was horrible, I had arrived home from work and went out for some errands, and that night I decided to leave my phone at home, which is something I never do,” Nicole Gauci, JeanPaul’s cousin, said.
“When I got home again, I found missed calls from my mum, and I immediately thought that something must have happened to my grandmother. But then my mum told me it was about JeanPaul.”
“I was shaking – I didn’t even know what to do when I received the news,” she said.
“All of us are in a horrible state at the moment. Everyone is crushed. How do you tell your grandma that this happened to her grandson?”
Cover photo right: via TVM
Lovin Malta sends its heartfelt condolences to the Sofia family during this difficult time
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