London Bridge attack: Hero nurse stabbed to death as she tried to help another victim, inquest hears
Boyfriend tells court he is 'still in awe of her bravery'
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Your support makes all the difference.An Australian nurse was stabbed to death by terrorists after she ran to help another victim of the London Bridge attack, an inquest has heard.
Relatives of 28-year-old Kirsty Boden said they were "in awe of her bravery" in the June 2017 atrocity, when she was one of eight people killed.
The Old Bailey heard she was inside a restaurant with friends when she heard what she believed to be an accidental car crash, and went to investigate.
But Ms Boden was unwittingly walking into the path of three Isis-inspired terrorists, who had mowed down pedestrians on London Bridge before crashing their van and launching a knife rampage.
The court was shown CCTV of Ms Boden motioning to her friends to stay back before seeing victim Alexandre Pigeard bleeding on the ground.
The nurse bent down to help when she was subjected to a sustained attack, running into an alleyway before collapsing and dying of her injuries.
Her British partner, James Hodder, told the court: "Her actions on that night didn't surprise anyone who knew her. To Kirsty it would not have seemed brave.
“She loved people and loved her life helping others. To Kirsty, her actions that night would have been an extension of how she lived her life. We are so unspeakably proud of her.”
At the time she was stabbed to death, Ms Boden was working as a senior staff nurse at Guy's and St Thomas' Hospital in central London.
Her father, Ken Boden, said: "We miss Kirsty every second of the day. There is a hole in our hearts that will never heal."
The other victims killed were Christine Archibald, 30, Xavier Thomas, 45, Mr Pigeard, 26, Sara Zelenak, 21, Sebastien Belanger, 36, James McMullan, 32, and Ignacio Echeverria, 39.
A total of 48 other people were seriously injured in what chief coroner Mark Lucraft called 10 minutes of “high and terrible drama”.
Spanish financial crime analyst Mr Echeverria hit the terrorists with a skateboard to save a woman's life before he was stabbed to death, the court heard.
The man Ms Boden tried to help, Mr Pigeard, was murdered while “rushing to see if he could help” victims of what he believed to be an accidental crash.
French chef Sebastien Belanger, 36, had been drinking at Boro Bistro and was cornered by all three of the attackers but “bravely fought back” before being stabbed to death.
Another Frenchman, 45-year-old Xavier Thomas, became the first victim of the attack when he was struck by the terrorists' van and thrown into the River Thames.
The father-of-two was walking with his girlfriend Christine Delcros on the first day of their holiday in London, and called his teenage son seconds before being killed.
The van repeatedly mounted the pavement on London Bridge, killing the second victim as she walked alongside her fiance.
The court heard that Canadian social worker Christine Archibald, 30, had kissed her husband-to-be and told him “I love you” moments before being killed.
Her fiance, Tyler Ferguson, said they were “very much looking forward” to spending the rest of their lives together and starting a family.
Australian au pair Sara Zelenak was on a ”trip of a lifetime“ when she was knifed to death while on a night out with a friend nearby, her family said.
And dual British-Filipino national James McMullan, 32, had been celebrating getting financial backing for his online education company when he was murdered.
The 32-year-old been watching the football match with friends in The Barrowboy and Banker pub when he went outside for a cigarette and was caught in the attack.
Their attackers, Khuram Butt, 27, Rachid Redouane, 30, and Youssef Zaghba, 22, were shot dead by police at the scene.
The court heard that the terrorists had taped 12ins ceramic kitchen knives to their wrists and were wearing fake suicide vests.
Their deaths will be examined before a jury, in separate inquests coming after an estimated eight weeks of hearings for their victims.
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Mr Pigeard's father says that as a Frenchman he has seen Isis-inspired atrocities in his home country
"I'm present here as a devastated father who has lost a child in such circumstances, an inconsolale father for 703 days not being close to my son or accompany him on his last journey ... I am all the fathers and mothers in the world who have been struck by similar tragedies."
Mr Pigeard says the attack has resulted in eight dead, 48 injured and more people who have been "devastated" by loss
"Why, today are young men who are the same age as Alexandre ... killing him rather than sharing life, sharing experiences?"
The inquest is now hearing tributes to 28-year-old Australian national Kirsty Boden
Her British boyfriend, James Hodder, says she had a "talent for nursing" because of her kindness, empathy and "all-round loving nature". She started nursing in Loxton, Australia, and loved her job
"To her it was more than a job," he says
Mr Hodder says he found a folder full of cards from former patients at their flat after she was killed
"Kirsty made lifelong friendships wherever she went," he added, saying they were disappointed when she moved to London in March 2013
Mr Hodder met Kirsty when they moved into the same shared flat shortly afterwards: "She floored me with her kindness and smile and I completely fell for her ... all I knew is how much happier I was with her in my life."
Mr Hodder says their first dates were at their "respective passions", the London Transport Museum and Canal Museum
Their main passion was travelling and he says he has fond memories of their adventures together, and Kirsty wrote a travel blog
Mr Hodder they spent a "perfect two years ... in probaly the smallest flat in London" in Hampstead and took in a stay cat. "We had a beautiful life, I am still head over heels in love with Kirsty and I miss her so much but I am still thankful for all the years we had together and I will treasure those memories forever."
Mr Hodder says Kirsty worked in recovery at Guy's Hospital in London, and was promoted to senior staff nurse
"Kirsty loved London and her life here and I know there are so many people who miss her deeply," he says. "Anyone who met Kirsty knew that she was different."
Mr Hodder said Kirsty "had the ability to leave a lasting impact on your life"
He says she got the "most out of every day" with a contagious enthusiasm. "In Kirsty's company, life just seemed full of more responsibilities ... she would light up any room with her warmth. We would do anything to see that smile again."
Mr Hodder said her actions running towards the terror attack were not a surprise to those who knew her
"To Kirsty, it wouldn't have seemed brave. She loved people and lived her life helping others, her actions that night would have just been an extension of how she lived her life.
"Not a day goes by when we are not in awe of her bravery that night."
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