stories of loss and resilience
Real Views:
Nathan Levy
My grandmother always says, "there is a time to talk, a time to be still, a time to laugh, a time to cry, a time to weep and a time for joy". One of many things my grandmother told my brothers and I that will stay with us all forever. There will be time in our lives to experience each of these things – this is one of those times to talk and reflect.
Robert, my younger brother, was the pinnacle of living to love. People loved what he said, loved the way he made them feel, loved his style, and even, for many of his friends who knocked on our door, loved him for just being himself. He was a shining light in so many eyes; you felt his presence when he entered a room. He carried himself with a classy, straight approach that many respected. I grew side-by-side with Robert and our other brother, Christopher, being in awe of their achievements watching them make a positive impact in the world.
It pains me each day to know he is no longer enjoying the world. To know he is not out there proving his worth, setting standards for other young people to follow. His senseless death shows that anyone can be a victim of knife crime. Another case of wrong place, wrong time.
The devastation is far-reaching
Twenty years ago, in September 2004, Robert was stabbed and murdered near our house in Hackney Grove – after he rushed to the aid of a local boy, one who he did not even know prior to this incident, who was being threatened with a knife. Robert asked the teenage perpetrator – who was aged 15 at the time of the attack – to put away his knife and pled with him that, whatever the issue was, wasn’t worth hurting someone or taking their life.
His killer received a life sentence for murder with a minimum term of twelve years. He was still just a kid who had clearly been led down a horrible path to make him do something like this.
These devastating events ignited my unwavering commitment to addressing the root causes of knife crime and actively promoting anti-violence initiatives, particularly among the youth. My family and I have spent the past 20 years since that day trying to make a positive impact on my community.
His legacy lives on through us
Working through all the pain and agony of losing my dear brother, Robert, I wanted anyone associated with me to know who he was and the values he embraced – to remember his name.
In the aftermath of Robert’s passing, alongside my family, we established the Robert Levy Foundation. This foundation serves as a beacon of hope, offering young people alternative pathways to channel their energies constructively, thereby steering them away from the allure of criminality. We have led efforts, in collaboration with other organisations, to provide mentoring services, recreational activities, and training programmes to empower local youth.
Inspired futures and the battle for change
My own charity, Inspired Futures, harnesses and implements all the qualities Robert was raised with, instilling them into other young people who we engage with.
I love the positive impact we are having. However, more can be done, as we are fighting an uphill battle. I gaze upon the streets of London, and I just see rising uncertainty, fear, more broken communities, and unrealised potential. Charities and youth providers like mine must work more collaboratively as a unified force: to motivate one another, to share best practice and learnings, to access larger funding initiatives – through a shared vision. But, most importantly, to inspire future generations that anyone can come together to create meaningful change, if they truly want to deliver positive outcomes for society. A society we all must live in.
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