Heartbreaking final wish of Oscar Pistorius victim's father before his death
The devastated father of Reeva Steenkamp said he wanted to “join” his daughter just months before his death, the Mirror can reveal.
Barry Steenkamp, 80, suffered poor health ever since suffering a stroke when his model daughter Reeva, 29, was shot dead by Paralympic gold medalist Oscar Pistorius. A foundation set up in the name of his slain daughter revealed Mr Steenkamp died in his sleep on Thursday.
Now the Mirror can reveal he vowed to be with his daughter in his last ever interview. In February, 10 years after his daughter’s murder, he said: “We want to be with Reeva, and join her wherever she is. Our hearts are broken.” Mr Steenkamp, who recently celebrated what would have been his daughter’s 40th birthday with a cake topped with a black-and-white photograph of her, said that he could not forgive Mr Pistorius.
Reeva, then 29, was shot through a bathroom door by the world-famous Paralympic champion at his home on Valentines Day in 2013. Pistorius, who had both his lower legs amputated as a child due to congenital condition, was then an icon for sports’ fans due to his multiple gold medal wins on carbon-fibre blades.
Reeva Steenkamp and Oscar Pistorius (AFP/Getty Images)Reeva, a qualified lawyer turned model, had only been dating Pistorius for a short time before she was killed. Pistorius has always maintained that he mistook her for an intruder. In 2014, following a dramatic case, Pistorius was found guilty of culpable homicide and sentenced to six years in prison.
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The decision, widely seen in South Africa as overly lenient, was criticised by women’s rights groups. Pistorius’ sentence was later increased to thirteen years after prosecutors brought the case to South Africa’s Supreme Court of Appeal. Pistorius is only eligible for parole next year.
The Mirror met Barry in the car-park near Summerstrand beach on February 14 and were the only people invited to a private ceremony to mark the anniversary of Reeva’s death. It was the same spot where Barry had cast Reeva’s ashes soon after the murder. “Reeva was the perfect daughter, and a real Mummy’s girl,” said Barry.
“She would always look after us before she went to Johannesburg or Pretoria for her modelling work. She would make a list of what each of us had to do to stay healthy and keep things running smoothly.” Barry had shown enormous courage when he chose to meet with Reeva’s killer as part of an official reconciliation process. “I never felt what he told me was the truth,” said Barry. “So I can never forgive him.”
British-born Barry, 80, died in their remote home on South Africa’s southern coast. He left behind his mourning wife, June, and also his two deeply-loved big dogs, and a horse that roams his garden. Barry had been a successful horse-race trainer at a nearby racecourse. “It is with heavy hearts that we announce the sudden and peaceful passing of Barry Steenkamp in his sleep,” a social media post from the Reeva Rebecca Steenkamp Foundation said.
“Barry was a blessing to many, and he will be remembered with love and great fondness. We find solace in the knowledge that he is now with his beloved Reeva.” Mr Steenkamp was too weak to attend a parole hearing in Pretoria in August 2022. He instead had a statement read out on his behalf that was described as “extremely emotional” and “to the core”.
In the heart-wrenching letter, it was revealed that he was still unable to sleep at night or find closure, a decade after Reeva’s murder. He said that he had one dying wish which was for Mr Pistorius to say ‘exactly what happened on that night’. Mr Steenkamp and his wife June, who was born in Blackburn, have consistently said that they believed Mr Pistorius killed their daughter in anger.
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