From our special correspondent in Drôme,
With closed faces, pressed against each other, they parade silently at the head of the procession, dressed in their blue jerseys from the RC Romans Péage rugby club. Heads lowered for some, eyes misty or shifty for others. They are there, united, to pay tribute to their captain, Thomas, fatally stabbed Saturday evening during a ball in Crépol (Drôme). This Wednesday afternoon, according to the gendarmes, 6,000 people took part in a white march in the streets of Romans-sur-Isère, where the high school student was studying.
Behind a red heart with a capital T in the center, two young girls hide their pain while moving forward with determined steps. The friends are there, brandishing a large banner “Thomas, 16 years old forever”, dignifiedly lifting signs on which photos of their friend or carefree moments shared with him are stuck. There are hundreds of them wearing the same white t-shirt. A t-shirt that reads “Rest in peace. We are thinking about you. Forever in our hearts. Our angel.”
“We try to be there, even if it doesn’t change anything”
“We have a 15-year-old son who could very well have been at this evening,” confide Aymeric and his wife Sandra in unison. One of our friends’ sons was present in the village hall, he left an hour before what happened. It could also have been him. As parents, we can only share the family’s pain. »
Pauline almost participated in the Crépol ball, except that she had a “car problem”, underlines her grandmother Betty. “To think she could have been in the middle of this drama. “It’s so absurd what happened,” comments the retiree. So we try to be there, even if it doesn’t change anything.” “It’s true that I had to go,” confirms the person concerned. It could have happened to me…and that’s scary. I was at school with Thomas. Close friends knew him very well. The next day, when we heard the bad news, we were in shock. We did not expect that. We realized much later. »
Three white roses propped against her chest, Patricia modestly tries to stifle her sorrow while the ranks of the crowd continue to grow. “If I’m here, it’s because I’m an elder from Thomas’ parents’ village. My grandson was at school with him, she slips before her voice chokes. For me, it was an obligation to be there. I had to support his family, his loved ones, his brothers and sisters. I had to be there for him. »
“We are really fed up with this gratuitous violence,” says Marlène, a “mom”. “We’re fed up with guys who come and zone out. We no longer feel safe and I am worried about our children. »
“I am aware that the word is strong but, for me, it is an attack”
“It hurts me too much to talk about him,” slips another mother who is cuddling her son, while the procession has just arrived at the rugby stadium. There, dozens of balloons are released into the sky. “Talking about Thomas is too personal. I just wanted to be with him today,” she smiled sadly, keeping her hands in the pockets of her jeans to keep warm. All around, applause bursts out to salute the memory of the young man. Then comes the time for a long meditation.
On the lawn, roses are delicately placed. Two rugby friends kneel, before one, in tears, escapes to let his sorrow burst out at the other end of the field, far from the hugs and looks. Others console each other, embrace each other. “I was so shocked,” confides Clara, 26 years old. Thomas suffered a violent, brutal death. I realize that the word is strong but, for me, it is an attack. When you stab someone in the heart, it is with the aim of killing them, otherwise you stick a knife in their leg. » “I often went to balls when I was younger. These are moments of good atmosphere, we have fun. We’re not going there to get killed, adds his friend Vicky. I put myself in the place of his brothers and sisters. If such a tragedy had happened to me, my heart would warm to see all these people. »
Thomas’ funeral will take place on Friday in the town of Saint-Donas