liberté, égalité, fraternité

bon soir et bon weekend. i hope you’re with the ones you love on this friday night. it’s already been a week since the paris attack and i wanted to touch base look at who was lost in the tragic events. i found photos of some of them, their names, ages and descriptions on the BBC website.  they’ll continue to add to it and invite their readers and viewers to do the same. the ages and careers of each individual are as varied as you’d expect but almost all were described in one way: kind, gentle and happy. it seems if there were any justice in this world, that the mean, angry and brutal would have been taken instead. but alas, ours is not to reason why…i certainly don’t have the answers but as i took a screenshot and was about to upload it, it occurred to me that it would be wrong to name the photo below victims.jpg and changed it to messengers.jpg. ‘kind, gentle and happy’ will be the message, and i’ll try to remember to be that each morning from now on.

i know many of us are thinking of these souls tonight, as they’re our sisters and brothers, mothers, fathers, aunts, uncles, cousins and children although we have never met. we feel the pain of losing any human life, especially unexpectedly, especially on a day that was bright and hopeful, just like any other we may have taken for granted. sadly this is happening on a daily basis around the world and in truth, probably always has. it will continue until we as see ourselves as a Human Race and believe that we are all created equal, and life is precious. til that day we can take solace in the unwavering unity and dedication to create a civilized world with those who pursue liberté, égalité, fraternité. oh, and happiness. 

bonne nuit mes amis. 

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-34821813

Charlotte & Emilie Meaud, 29

Twin sisters Charlotte and Emilie Meaud died at Le Carillon. Charlotte was in charge of investments in start-up firms at Scientipole, a venture capital firm. Emilie was an architect with Chartier Dalix.

Chloe Boissinot, 25

Chloe Boissinot was a student of land management who was dining at Le Petit Cambodge. She was originally from Château-Larcher in the Poitou-Charentes region, where 150 people held a silence in her honour. Neighbours there told France Bleu Poitou she came from a generous family.

Christophe Mutez, 48

Christophe Mutez was an employee of PROS France, a software firm. He died in the Bataclan attack. He is described as “kind and generous” in online tributes.

Christophe Lellouche, 33

Christophe Lellouche, was a fan of l’Olympique de Marseille football club and was a former online communications professional. He died at the Bataclan. A friend told La Provence newspaper how Christophe had helped him through a period of severe illness.

Christopher Neuet-Shalter, 39

Christopher Neuet-Shalter was a digital marketing consultant from Paris and father of an 11-year-old girl. “He was kind, sweet, bright, always there for those close to him,” his partner told Le Parisien newspaper. “If you mentioned his daughter’s name, his face lit up.”

David Perchirin, 41

David Perchirin, 41, was a journalist turned schoolteacher. He taught in Seine-Saint-Denis, a northern suburb of Paris. He died at the Bataclan. His contemporaries at university said he had been a “major figure in student life”.

Fanny Minot, 29

Fanny Minot was an editor at Le Petit Journal, a satirical TV news programme. Presenter Yann Barthes paid tribute to her at the start of Monday’s broadcast. She died at the Bataclan. “She was such a loving, compassionate person, with such an adventurous view on life,” a friend told the Associated Press news agency.

Franck Pitiot, 33

Franck Pitiot was an engineering graduate who studied at Nancy, in the east of France. He was at the Bataclan concert. His engineering school paid tribute to his kindness and warmth.

 Helene Muyal, 35

Helene Muyal, 35, died at the Bataclan and leaves behind a husband and son aged 17 months. She was a make-up artist who worked on fashion shoots. Her husband Antoine Leiris wrote a passionate piece on Facebook addressed to his wife’s killers after seeing her body. “I don’t know who you are and I don’t want to know. You are dead souls. I won’t give you the gift of my hatred. It’s what you sought, but answering hate with anger would be to surrender to the same ignorance that has made you what you are.”

Hugo Sarrade, 23

Hugo Sarrade, 23, was killed at the Bataclan. He was studying at a university in Montpellier and was in Paris to spend the weekend with his father and to go to the concert. “Hugo played the guitar and loved rock music. He was loving and full of kindness, and so open to other cultures and ways of life,” his father Stephane said.

Jean-Jacques Amiot, 68

Jean-Jacques Amiot was a silkscreen printer who was at the Bataclan. “A pacifist, a gentle man,” his brother told French newspaper the Telegramme.

Kheireddine Sahbi, 29

Kheireddine Sahbi was a masters student in ethnomusicology caught up in the restaurant attacks. “He was an Algerian virtuoso violinist, who came to hone his skills in Paris, and was heavily involved in traditional musical groups at the university,” said the president of the Sorbonne.

Lamia Mondeguer, 30

Lamia Mondeguer was an agent for artists and a dual French-Egyptian citizen.

Lola Ouzounian, 17

Her father said: “May my little angel rest in peace, and may her smile remain ingrained in our memories forever.”

Lola Salines, 28

Lola Salines was an editor at Grund, a publishing company. According to Liberation newspaper, she was in a roller derby team and travelled widely as a child.

Lucie Dietrich, 37

Lucie Dietrich was a graphic designer at L’Etudiant (Student) magazine.

Mathias Dymarski, 22

Mathias Dymarski was a keen BMX rider and recent civil engineering graduate who studied in Metz, in north-east France, and was a project manager at a business in Paris. He was the boyfriend of Marie Lausch who also died at the Bataclan.

Matthieu de Rorthais, 32

Matthieu de Rorthais, 32, a music lover who had recovered from cancer. “He was kind, gentle and sensitive,” his cousin said.

Olivier Vernadal, 44

Olivier Vernadal, 44, was a tax officer from Ceyrat in the Auvergne region of France. A keen footballer, his home town decided to name its stadium after him to honour his memory.

Pierre Innocenti, 40

Pierre Innocenti, 40, was a manager at Chez Livio restaurant in the Parisian suburb of Neuilly-sur-Seine. He was killed alongside his cousin Stephane Albertini. They were the third generation of their family to run the famous restaurant.

Romain Dunet, 25

Romain Dunet was an English teacher. “He had a big heart, unwavering generosity, and was a fantastic teacher who helped me when I needed it most,” one pupil wrote in an online tribute.

Romain Didier, 32

Romain Didier was a former drama student and bar manager. His rugby team paid tribute on Facebook to his “unparalled joie de vivre”, adding: “It’s so hard to think that we will never again see your smile or hear your laugh.”

Thomas Ayad, 34

Thomas Ayad from Amiens, worked for Mercury Records, a division of Universal Music France, and was at the Bataclan with two colleagues. “He was the coolest guy on Earth; no enemies, everyone liked him,” a friend said.

Pierre-Antoine Henry, 36

Pierre-Antoine Henry, 36, was an engineer. His cousin said: “They killed the nicest guy in the world.”