At the protest marking the two-year anniversary of the Tempi train tragedy, Kyriaki Griva‘s mother, Despoina, spoke movingly in Syntagma Square. Holding a photo of her daughter, who was tragically murdered outside the Agious Anargyrous police station, Despoina addressed the crowd with a powerful message.

She shared: “You see them? Look, they are here.” Reflecting on the heartbreaking audio in which her daughter, Kyriaki, pleaded for help before her death, Despoina expressed deep grief. “For those who may have forgotten, you heard her voice saying ‘I’m losing myself,’ and the response was, ‘police cars aren’t taxis.’ You loved her, and I thank you.”

“I’m here today, not only for Kyriaki but as a mother who understands the agony of hearing your child call for help while those around you remain indifferent. I know what it’s like to hear your child scream in pain. I know that pain,” she continued.

Despoina’s words also highlighted the unimaginable pain of losing a child: “How does it feel to search for your child? How does it feel to bury a piece of their body? How does it feel to receive your child in a bag? How heavy are the 57 souls? You carry them with you, Maria, and I am here with you. I wish I could take away some of your pain.”

Despoina concluded, thanking everyone who had supported her daughter: “Thank you for loving Kyriaki as if she were your own child.”