31 March 2023 , 13:23
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Reeva Steenkamp was shot dead by her boyfriend South African sprinter Oscar Pistorius — who has been denied release from prison in a parole hearing today — it was a life cut short before she reached her 30s.
Steenkamp, 29, had been a model, a law school graduate and an entrepreneur committed to empowering women.
She was loved by the South African community, her friends, siblings and her parents who are still desperately grieving their daughter's tragic death.
She was killed by Pistorius at his house in Pretoria, on Valentine’s Day in 2013. He was found guilty of her murder and has admitted to shooting her but says he mistook her for a burglar.
Reeva during a photoshoot for her modelling agency (AP)
In Jamaica on set during the shooting of the reality show Tropika Island of Treasure (AP)Today the former Paralympic star has been denied parole from prison after serving half his 13 year sentence in a hearing.
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His victim Reeva died so young with a successful and bright future ahead of her.
“It’s all Oscar, Oscar, Oscar,” a friend of the 29-year-old said during the trial. She continued: “Where is Reeva in any of this?”
Reeva was one of FHM magazine's 100 Sexiest Women in the World for two years running, appeared in international and South African advertisements and was a celebrity contestant on Tropika Island of Treasure, a South African reality show.
Her publicist Sarit Tomlinson said she was "continuously breaking the model stereotype" and said she was "the sweetest, kindest, just angelic soul" and "a very inspiring individual, very passionate about speaking about women and empowerment".
FHM described her as a “beautiful, intelligent and warm-hearted woman” who had a “wicked” sense of humour.
Steenkamp was born in Cape Town but moved to Johannesburg to pursue modelling.
Reeva pictured in 2012 (Getty Images)She had been been scheduled to give a motivational speech to school students in Johannesburg a few days after her death.
"It was about empowerment and inspiration and what inspires you and how to follow your dreams," said Tomlinson.
She also used her Twitter account to encourage her thousands of followers to combat sexual abuse and violence against women.
"WEAR BLACK THIS FRIDAY IN SUPPORT AGAINST #RAPE," she retweeted hours before she died.
Killer dances in his victim's house with twerking model who later turned on him
Her mother June has since set up a refuge for abused women and called it The Reeva Foundation in her name.
She told Hello Magazine: "Oscar Pistorius took away the chance for her to do so much good. So I'm going to devote my life to it on her behalf. In this way, her dream will come true and her name will live on forever.
Photographed on September 10, 2010, in Bazaruto Island, Mozambique (Contour by Getty Images)
In Johannesburg, South Africa (Getty Images)"I'll be busy making this happen and helping the women who Reeva wanted to rescue. In this way we'll keep Reeva's name alive."
Her cousin Kim Martin gave an account of Reeva in the witness box during the trial.
She said her childhood was full of love for animals and family that remained constant throughout her life.
She said she had her heart set on studying for a career in the law, but began modelling as a paid hobby that helped fund her law-school fees.
Her brother Adam said in his eulogy at her funeral: "We’re going to keep all the positive things that we remember and know about my sister and we will try and continue with the things that she tried to make better. We’ll miss her.
"There’s a space missing inside all of the people that she knew that can’t be filled again."