Hero father damage in Hainault rampage says it is a ‘miracle’ he is alive
- Henry De Los Rios Polania was left with serious injuries in the attack on April 30
A hero father who shielded his wife and four-year-old daughter after a sword-wielding attacker burst into their home says it’s a ‘miracle’ he and his family were not killed.
Henry De Los Rios Polania said he thought he and his family were about to be slaughtered in their home in Hainault, east London, when he woke up find the attacker standing over him brandishing the weapon.
The 35-year-old bravely fought off the man, receiving deep wounds which saw doctors spend 10 hours operating on him in a bid to save his hand on Tuesday, April 30.
The incident was part of a 22-minute rampage through the residential streets of east London by a knifeman which saw three other people wounded – including two police officers – and killed 14-year-old schoolboy Daniel Anjorin.
The alleged attacker, dual Spanish and Brazilian national Marcus Aurelio Arduini Monzo, 36, has since appeared in court charged with murder, attempted murder and other offences.
Henry De Los Rios Polania was seriously wounded while protecting his family from a knifeman in his home in Hainault on April 30
Earlier this week Henry De Los Rios Polania took to social media to pay tribute to his ‘angel’ daughter while still in hospital
The suspect was arrested after a 20-minute rampage in Hainault left one person dead and four others seriously injured on Tuesday, April 30
Daniel Anjorin was stabbed in the neck and chest in the horrifying attack
Mr Los Rios Polania, who works as an IT engineer, said the attack on him and his family had come as a complete shock and he was terrified they would not make it out alive.
The father-of-one said he and his wife had fallen asleep watching TV the night before, but he was woken the next morning after hearing the door to his bedroom open.
When opened his eyes the next morning he was confronted by a knifeman standing in front of them.
He told the BBC: ‘I thought I was going to die… even my wife and child. We thought we were going to die that morning.
‘I believe a miracle happened in that room.’
Mr Los Rios Polania, who is from Colombia but has lived in the UK for several years, revealed he had nothing to defend himself in the bedroom apart from ‘pillows and teddy bears’.
While he did not go into detail about what happened in the bedroom given the ongoing court proceedings, he said: ‘I protected my family… I will do everything for my family,’
In the immediate aftermath of the ‘nightmare’ he was rushed to hospital, where doctors feared he could lose his hand having suffered serious wounds.
But after medics performed 10 hours of surgery, he has been told there is a possibility that his recovery could go better than expected.
However, the mental trauma from the incident remains and Mr Los Rios Polania says he worried about the impact it has had on his wife and daughter, telling the BBC he hopes his little girl ‘doesn’t remember anything’.
Mr De Los Rios Polania, (pictured) suffered injuries when a knifeman broke into his family home, his sister said
Earlier this week, Mr De Los Rios Polania took to social media to thank the emergency services and his family for saving his life
He said his family were grateful for the support given to them by neighbours and their community, but added he wasn’t sure his family could face returning to their home.
‘We just need to find a way out, try to start over again,’ he said.
‘We need to continue with our lives. All I know is that the next house I’m going to get into, I’ll just make it really safe. I don’t want anyone to come from the outside.’
The father also revealed his heartbreak at finding out that schoolboy Daniel Anjorin had died in the same rampage, having being attacked moments earlier.
‘I feel so sorry for his family… When I got close to the ambulance, I saw him on the floor… It shouldn’t have happened,’ he said.
He previously paid tribute to the boy in a heartbreaking message posted on social media, writing: ‘Daniel Anjorin, we are extremely sorry. You did not deserve such tragedy.
‘There are no words to convey how terrible this is. Our deepest sympathies to you and your family. Rest in peace Daniel.
‘Our hears are breaking for you. We will forever remember you, young King!’
Daniel Anjorin, pictured here with his mother Grace, was tragically killed during an attack in Hainault on Tuesday
In a second clip he showed a woman bending down to place a flower tribute at the memorial to Daniel on the residential street where he lived
A heartbreaking note placed with a flower and a tiger teddy conveying his and his family’s ‘deepest sympathies’
Mr Los Rios Polania’s sister, Jessica, 31, previously labelled him a ‘hero’ for his efforts to fight off the attacker in his home.
‘It’s a very long process to get his hand recovered, due to this wound,’ she said, adding: ‘He’s awake, he’s in hospital,’ but ‘he lost a lot of blood’ and ‘it’s going to be a really long, traumatising recovery for him.
‘He’s very devastated to believe something like this could happen,’ she said, adding: ‘To us, he’s our hero. He protected them – my niece and my sister-in-law.
‘They were just literally sleeping, opened their eyes to see a man with a big machete sword.
‘He felt helpless in the moment but to us he is our hero. It could have been extremely worse.’
Last week he took to social media to thank the emergency services and his family for saving his life.
‘I would like to start by thanking all the nurses, paramedics, and the doctors on the NHS for keeping me alive,’ he said, also sending gratitude to the police ‘for risking their lives’.
He added: ‘I’m recovering. I have a long journey ahead but I’m very positive that this trauma will end soon.’
His alleged attacker, Marcus Aurelio Arduini Monzo, appeared at the Old Bailey on Tuesday, May 7, over the rampage.
The horror unfolded just before 7am on Tuesday, April 30, when a van smashed into a house in Laing Close, near Hainault tube station.
It is alleged the suspect was seen brandishing a sword and slashing at innocent passers-by before police rushed to the scene.
Daniel Anjorin was leaving his home just before 7am when he was caught up in the horrifying ordeal
Floral tributes at the scene of the sword attack in Laing close in Hainault
Marcus Aurelio Arduini Monzo, a Spanish and Brazilian national, appeared in court on Tuesday charged with murder
Monzo at Westminster Magistrates Court earlier this month flanked by custody officers
Some 22 minutes later Monzo was Tasered then arrested and put under police guard in hospital.
Daniel was rushed to hospital but could not survive his horrific injuries and died shortly after.
Two officers suffered significant injuries, while two members of the public were also treated in hospital.
Monzo, 36, of Satanita Close, West Beckton, east London, is charged with murder, two counts of attempted murder, two counts of grievous bodily harm, aggravated burglary, and possession of a bladed article.
Prosecutor Tom Little, KC, said: ‘This case related to a period of about 20 minutes or so relatively early in the morning of 30 April.
‘None of those who were attacked by the defendant knew the defendant in advance.
‘There are in reality five separate incidents, the first an attempted murder involving the use of the defendant’s van to strike the victim, being deliberately driven at.
‘He was sent a significant distance into some gardens. The defendant then got out of van with a sword, the victim of that matter says ‘I don’t know you’ and the defendant says ‘I don’t care I will kill you’ and in the process was attacked with a sword.
The suspect larking around in fancy dress in a video he posted on social media
Monzo, pictured here in a sketch taken at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on May 2, is accused of murder, two counts of attempted murder, two counts of grievous bodily harm, aggravated burglary, and possession of a bladed article
‘He manages to escape, and shortly after that Daniel was walking to school when attacked by the defendant from behind with the use of a sword to the neck and head, very largely essentially decapitating the 14-year-old boy.
‘Police attended and tried to stop the defendant, who then attacks one with a sword causing very significant injuries to her again.
‘The defendant then makes his way across a number of gardens before entering the property and goes into the bedroom where the occupant, his wife and a four-year-old baby were present.
‘The male in that bedroom gets attacked and in seeking to defend his partner has sustained significant injuries with use of the sword.
‘He then leaves that property, further police present attempted to corner the defendant.
‘And in the course of apprehension the inspector is stabbed with the sword.
‘He was then tasered and arrested.’
Judge Mark Lucraft, KC, the Recorder of London, remanded him in custody ahead of a plea and trial preparation hearing on 23 July.
A three week trial date was set for 3 February next year.
In the aftermath of the incident tributes were paid to schoolboy Daniel, who was the youngest of three children from a local, church-going Nigerian family.
His mother Grace Anjorin, 49, is a science teacher and his father Dr Ebenezer Anjorin, 59, works as a health and safety consultant.
The keen Arsenal supporter was remembered as a ‘true scholar’ with a ‘gentle character’ – as well-wishers raised more than £143,000 on GoFundMe for a celebration of his life.
The 14-year-old was said to put a smile on faces whenever he walked in the room while being described as a ‘very much-loved’ boy who brought joy to his family and was an ‘admirable’ student at his prestigious independent school.
Daniel attended Bancroft’s School in nearby Woodford Green, the £24,999-a-year school, which flew its flag at half-mast while flowers were laid by fellow students after his death.
His heartbroken parents are trusting in their deep Christian faith to cope with their profound shock and grief at his killing, family friends revealed.
Bancroft’s School said on its website: ‘We are devastated by the heartbreaking news of the death of Daniel. This has left us in profound shock and sorrow.
‘He joined Bancroft’s at seven years old and quickly became a core member of our community. He was a true scholar, demonstrating commendable dedication to his academic pursuits.
‘His positive nature and gentle character will leave a lasting impact on us. Losing such a young pupil is something we will always struggle to come to terms with.’ Nottingham stabbing victim Grace O’Malley-Kumar, 19, had also been a pupil at the Bancroft’s.
