Latest Bill: Remembering Shana Grice
Brighton is a city that is always alive: you can feel life happening. Energy surges through the city, through the cabs watching over the streets, through the forever young people on the streets, in bars, cafes and clubs. Everyone is sociable or appears to be so; everywhere is throbbing with life. And beauty is everywhere too, in the nearby downlands to the glistening sea, to the young people enjoying the city. And Shana Grice was a beautiful young woman who deserved to continue enjoying this city and all that life has to give.
Reporting the local news for our channel, I was at Lewes Crown Court last week and heard the court recording of Shana. The judge said to everyone in the court: “hear the clear tones of the confident and vibrant young woman”.
It was hard to reconcile that this young woman would no longer enjoy the life that she should have had. Going out for the weekend, for dinner with her true love on Friday night, then all the fun of a family wedding on the Saturday. Above all else, the statements from friends and family showed that Shana valued family life and that she is loved.
Everyone was so happy to see Shana because she’s so much fun, she lights up a room with her presence. With her family she’s always kind, caring and respectful and she especially loves spending time with her grandparents. Now the present tense tragically changes to the past and life lost.
Shana deserved to continue enjoying this city and all that life has to give
Shana had always been popular. Throughout her childhood she had made friends easily and she was never grumpy. She was quiet at school, never caused trouble and was a credit to her family. She was just naturally affectionate, just the nicest person you could ever meet and everyone loved Shana and she cared about everyone. She had always loved life and was so enthusiastic.
At the front of the selfies with her friends, Shana inspired laughter for all the right reasons. No wonder she had so many friends on Facebook. Her friend Joann said of Shana: “the most beautiful person I ever had the pleasure of calling my friend, my dance partner and my surrogate sister”. And when she went to work she did her job thoughtfully and carefully, and her colleagues knew they could rely on her.
Shana never got to have that perfect weekend. I do not want to remember the name of the person who killed Shana Grice. He should be dead to us.
I never met Shana Grice but my thoughts are with her family and friends. An ordinary, yet extraordinary girl and an amazingly loved woman with a fabulous family, a cool caring boyfriend and so many friends.
We will never forget her.
