When Dr Mark Prince heard that his teenage son had been fatally stabbed, his world fell apart. Just 15 and with a promising future as a footballer at Championship side QPR , Kiyan had been breaking up a fight outside his North London school in 2006 when he was attacked. Former boxer Mark – a WBO and IBF Intercontinental champion – was overcome by grief and utter helplessness.
But, remarkably, he has found a way to channel his experiences into supporting parents and families who are suffering the same experience. And he also works tirelessly to prevent it happening to other parents and children. Mark, whose efforts were recognised at Tuesday night’s BBC Sports Personality of the Year Awards, recalls: “It happened on a beautiful sunny day.
I was working with my friend in his new business, gold-plating phones. My daughter rang and said, ‘Dad, Kiyan’s been stabbed’. “She was breaking down.
I tried to be calm, but it was growing more difficult. Before I jumped in the car, I said out loud, ‘God, save my son. Don’t let him die’.
Then silently in my mind I said, ‘But if he does die, help me to accept it’. “I didn’t know where it came from. Probably my journey with God because in 2000 my boxing career had ended, my marriage was on the rocks, my mum had just survived an operation and my life was really a testing time.
I’d learned that God was teaching me to accept things that were happening. “And I knew I couldn’t accept this without his help. We kep.
