June Steenkamp, the mother of the late Reeva Steenkamp – who was murdered by former Paralympian Oscar Pistorius in 2014 – has suffered a stroke that has left her in urgent financial need.
Her health setback comes almost two years to the day that her husband, Barry, “died of a broken heart”.
Last year, Oscar was released on parole after serving half of his sentence.
REEVA STEENKAMP’S MOTHER SUFFERS STROKE, APPEALS FOR HELP
In a social media post, the administrators behind the Reeva Rebecca Steenkamp Foundation shared the shock news that June Steenkamp had suffered a stroke on Monday, 1 September.
The Port Elizabeth woman has been admitted to a local public hospital, but was sadly in need of financial assistance.
The page posted: “She is facing a long road to recovery, and in need of considerable rehabilitation. To ensure June gets the necessary care and treatment, a fund has been set up for her care and rehabilitation. All payments will be approved by two independent attorneys and will be audited.”
The page – which provided banking details to family attorney Tania Koen – added that any additional monies would be redirected to the foundation in Reeva Steenkamp’s honour, which fights the scourge of gender based violence.
BARRY ‘DIED OF A BROKEN HEART’
In less than a fortnight, the family of Reeva Steenkamp will remember patriarch Barry Steenkamp on the second anniversary of his death.
According to reports, Barry had been in particularly poor health after Reeva was shot and killed by Oscar Pistorius on Valentine’s Day in 2013.
During Pistorius’s murder trial (then on charges of culpable homicide), Barry suffered two strokes, reported TimesLive.
Images via Facebook: Reeva Rebecca Steenkamp Foundation
In the M-Net documentary My Name Is Reeva, June Steenkamp revealed that Barry had not been the same since their daughter’s passing. She also claimed that their marriage took a strain following the tragic event.
Following his passing, many South Africans think Barry could have possibly died of a broken heart.
In one of his final interviews, an emotional Barry told The Mirror that both he and his wife, June, were still overcome with grief after losing Reeva.
He said, “We want to be with Reeva and join her wherever she is. Our hearts are broken.”
DO YOU THINK REEVA STEENKAMP’S DEATH – AND OSCAR PISTORIUS’S MURDER TRIAL – IMPACTED HER PARENTS’ HEALTH?
Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1.
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