The family of Grace O'Malley-Kumar have revealed the remarkable bravery their daughter displayed in her final moments, as the 19-year-old medical student is set to be posthumously awarded the George Medal for attempting to protect her friend during the devastating Nottingham knife attacks.
A Hero's Final Moments
Grace, a promising University of Nottingham student and talented hockey player, instinctively intervened when attacker Valdo Calocane began assaulting her friend and fellow student Barnaby Webber in the early hours of June 13 last year. According to her heartbroken family, Grace's courageous actions followed a pattern of selflessness that defined her character.
"She tried to save her friend," her father, Dr. Sanjoy Kumar, told the inquest. "That was the sort of person she was. She would never run away."
Recognition for Extraordinary Courage
The George Medal, one of Britain's highest civilian awards for gallantry, will be presented to Grace's family in recognition of her exceptional bravery. The award is typically reserved for those who display great courage in circumstances of extreme danger.
Grace's mother, Dr. Sinead O'Malley, described how her daughter's heroic nature was evident throughout her life, recalling an incident when Grace as a schoolgirl protected a friend from bullying by physically intervening.
A Life of Promise Cut Short
The talented second-year medical student had already demonstrated her commitment to helping others, having worked on the NHS frontline during the COVID-19 pandemic before beginning her studies. Her passion for medicine and helping others made her loss particularly poignant for the medical community.
"She was going to be the most perfect doctor," her father emotionally testified during the inquest proceedings at Nottingham Council House.
A City in Mourning
The attacks, which claimed three lives including school caretaker Ian Coates, sent shockwaves through the Nottingham community and sparked national conversations about knife crime and mental health services. Valdo Calocane was subsequently sentenced to an indefinite hospital order after pleading guilty to manslaughter on grounds of diminished responsibility.
As the city continues to heal, Grace O'Malley-Kumar's legacy of bravery and self-sacrifice serves as a powerful reminder of the extraordinary courage ordinary people can display in moments of crisis.
