Murdered Jimmy's parents join classmates for special Mass » Communities » 24dash.com

The parents of murdered teenager Jimmy Mizen joined his classmates for a special Mass today on what would have been his last full day at school.

Jimmy died in his brother's arms on Saturday, the 13th teenager to be murdered in London this year.

He was left with fatal cuts to his neck after he was attacked with a shard of glass the day after his 16th birthday when he went to buy his first lottery ticket in Lee, south east London.

Today he should have been attending a leavers' mass at St Thomas More Catholic Comprehensive in nearby Eltham. Instead his grieving family joined tearful pupils at the service.

Afterwards his parents Barry, 56, and Margaret, 55, paid a loving tribute to Jimmy.

Mrs Mizen, a mother-of-nine, said: "Jimmy, there was no side to him, he was happy-go-lucky, loved his family, loved his guitar and playing rugby in the garden."

Mr Mizen added: "He was a dear, dear sweet young man, we loved him dearly.

"On the night of his birthday he was going out with his friends and we cuddled him. That is just a great, great memory."

Speaking about the parents of her son's attacker, Mrs Mizen said: "What can you really say to them? You can imagine, that's their child, they held that boy in their own arms as a baby. They must be in pain. It's so painful that their child has been so cruel and so wicked."

Mrs Mizen said she was drawing comfort from the fact that one of her sons cradled Jimmy in his arms as he lay dying.

She said: "He managed to get there in time. He held Jimmy in his arms while he was dying. That brings comfort to me, that my son was there when he was dying and he wasn't on his own."

She said Jimmy's many friends had been left distressed by his death.

"They are just crying with us, they are in shock.

"They are young and just need love and comfort. There are kids that are coming to us, it's amazing.

"I just can't believe I am talking about my son because he's dead."

Mr Mizen said the school had already mourned the deaths of three other pupils this year, two following a car accident and one from illness.

Mr Mizen said: "We are very aware of the effect that this will have on our children, some more than others.

"We are trying our best to comfort them."

Mrs Mizen added that the family's Catholic faith was a great source of strength.

"It is our faith that keeps us going, we would never cope otherwise.

"Lots of people have given us cards and flowers. God is with us and in our family."

She added: "People keep saying to me 'why aren't you angry?'

"There is so much anger in the world ... it was anger that killed my son ... if I am angry then I am going to be doing exactly the same as this young chap."

The school's headteacher Markus Ryan said: "Jimmy was a very well-liked, gentle student who always tried his best.

"Jimmy came from a loving, large Catholic family. Our thoughts and prayers are with Jimmy and his family at this very sad time."

Mr Ryan said Jimmy's father played an active role supporting staff and students as deputy chairman of governors at the school.

The popular teenager, who lived with his family in Dallinger Road, Lee, had been due to finish school today to embark on an apprenticeship in the housing and maintenance department at Southwark Council.

Mr Ryan said the leavers' Mass for Year 11 students was dedicated to Jimmy and his family."

He added: "This week would have been the start of the GCSE examination period for Jimmy and his year group.

"We will be considering very carefully any additional support we may need to offer to Jimmy's classmates during this already stressful time."

Outside the school gates this morning, parents and pupils were struggling to come to terms with the senseless killing of one of its students.

Parent Eva Davies, whose son attends the school, said the reaction had been one of disbelief.

She said: "I feel very angry this can happen to a young boy. He just went into a bakery. I just can't believe it."

Head teacher Markus Ryan said Jimmy's parents had both spoken at the mass and talked of the school's values of love and reconciliation.

He said: "Jimmy was someone who went out in to the community, he was an ambassador for the school."

Mr Ryan said the school had already suffered a tragedy at the start of the year when two female pupils were killed in a car crash in January.

Father Michael Scanlon, Dean of Greenwich and Parish Priest at St Peter's in Woolwich, helped lead the school's service attended by more than 100 Year 11 pupils.

He said: "It was a beautiful mass, it was powerful, it was prayerful.
The young people were outstanding. There was great love for the family.
Jimmy's mum and dad were there - we blessed them with prayer."

He added: "He was a son that was much loved and a pupil that was much loved here in the school. He will be missed by all at the school and particularly his friends."

Fr Scanlon added action was needed to reclaim the streets, making them safe for young people so others did not meet the same fate as Jimmy.

He said: "The vast majority of young people in this country are good citizens who want to walk the streets in a safe way.

"We need our politicians and those in authority to react to situations like this, we need out streets to be safe again for everyone.

"We have seen great sadness in many homes across London in recent times we don't want to see this unfolding on our streets again."

Brother Michael added: "Jimmy was a powerful influence at the school because he came from a family where there was such love and he brought that to the school.

"I saw Jimmy in the corridor of the school on Friday and he smiled at me and said 'hi Brother' and got on his way to class his usual and cheerful happy self. That's how I and many other people will remember Jimmy."