The mother of Lee Rigby, a British soldier who was brutally murdered by Islamic extremists a decade ago, expressed that his death still feels fresh in her mind. Lee Rigby, a 25-year-old father and Fusilier from Middleton in Manchester, was tragically killed on May 22, 2013, near the Royal Artillery Barracks in Woolwich, London. In an exclusive interview before the anniversary of his murder, Lyn Rigby, Lee’s mother, revealed to ITV News that she will never be able to forgive her son’s killers.
Lyn shared her perspective, saying, “To most people, ten years may seem like a long time, but for me, it feels like yesterday. We have experienced good days and bad days, ups and downs. The pain is still present, but as a family, we have come together and strive to carry on.”
Lee was attacked by Islamist radicals Michael Adebolajo and Michael Adebowale while off-duty. They ran him over with a car and brutally stabbed and hacked him to death with knives and a cleaver. The killers received whole-life terms and 45 years respectively for Lee’s murder.
Regarding her son’s murderers, Lyn stated, “We do not discuss them. We never want to talk about them. I am filled with anger, and I don’t want anyone else to endure the grief we have experienced. I will never forgive them, ever.”
Mobile phone footage capturing Lee’s attackers standing over his bloodied body, wielding the weapons they used to commit the murder, circulated globally. Lyn shared her struggle to overcome the haunting images, saying, “It took me many years to erase those images from my mind. Whenever I closed my eyes, all I could see were those horrific scenes. I witnessed everything. For a few years, it was a constant struggle, but now I try to focus on the good times with Lee. As a mother, it completely shattered me. My children have remarked that I became a changed person, a changed mother.”
Lyn desires for Lee to be remembered for who he truly was—a lively son, brother, and father—rather than for the brutal act that took his life. She expressed, “Lee has always been known as the soldier who was killed in Woolwich, but he was more than that. I want him to be remembered as Lee—the son, the brother, the father. He was a vibrant and cheerful young man, and that is how I want him to be remembered.”
Following Lee’s death, Lyn and her husband established the Lee Rigby Foundation, a charity that offers support to bereaved military and veteran families. Lyn explained, “Other bereaved families who had lost loved ones in Afghanistan and Iraq approached us. It’s a group you never want to be part of, but they were facing similar situations and were not receiving the necessary support.” Their foundation aims to provide bereaved families with static caravans across the UK where they can seek respite.
“People often say, ‘Lee would be proud of you.’ I am proud because the families genuinely appreciate our help,” Lyn shared. “It warms my heart to know that we are making a difference, as that is what Lee would have done. This year, we are considering purchasing another caravan in the Skegness area, which is where I used to take Lee. That is my current goal, and it would be truly amazing.”
A decade after Lee’s murder, the Lee Rigby Memorial Cup match between a North West “superstars” team and a Rangers select side will take place at Bury FC’s Gigg Lane, serving as a memorial event.
