London Bridge skateboard hero may become saint after saving two with his board
7 June 2022, 11:32 | Updated: 7 June 2022, 11:43
A man who gave his life trying to defend others during the 2017 London Bridge terror attack is on the path to sainthood.
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Religious authorities have approached the family of Ignacio Echeverría for approval to start the process of sainthood, which can only begin five years after the person's death.
The 39-year-old Spaniard died after being stabbed in the back while hitting the knifeman with his skateboard as he was attacking people on London Bridge on 3 June, 2017.
Echeverría, who became the "skateboard hero" following the attack, was posthumously awarded the Spain’s Grand Cross of the Order of Civil Merit and Britain's George Medal, which was presented to his parents by the Queen.
Supporters have called for him to receive a sainthood.
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The movement calling for his canonisation was inspired by the Pope's words in the wake of the attack.
Pope Francis wrote in an apostolic letter at the time: "The heroic offering of life, suggested and sustained by charity, expresses a true, complete and exemplary imitation of Christ and, therefore, deserves the admiration that the community of the faithful usually reserves for those who have voluntarily accepted martyrdom of blood or have heroically exercised Christian virtues".
He wrote that those who “offer their lives voluntarily and freely for others” were worthy of consideration and special honour.
Echeverría's family was approached by Juan Antonio Martínez Camino, auxiliary bishop of Madrid and secretary general of Spain’s CEE synod, following the letter, according to El Mundo.
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Echeverría, who worked for HSBC in London, was skateboarding in the area on the day of the attacks.
Friends said he saw a knifeman attacking a policeman before turning to stab a woman.
Echeverría ran towards the assailant and hit with him his skateboard allowing several people to escape.
He then saw a second knifeman attacking another police officer and run over with his skateboard.
He was stabbed in the back by two other assailants as he tried to help and died of his wounds.
