Sami, the son of Brussels businessman Driss Atounane (54), has spoken to the media following his father’s death. Driss Atounane lost his life after intervening on a tram 55 in Brussels when a woman was being harassed. “He didn’t want that woman to suffer,” says Sami.
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Brussels businessman who died after altercation on a tram: “Even after he passed, he was still smiling”
Colin Clapson
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Driss Atounane died on Sunday morning, a few days after he had intervened in an incident on a tram and was struck during the altercation.
Journalists at Brussels media outlet BRUZZ met Sami (pictured) at Liedts Square in Schaarbeek, in the business his father had built up. “My father was a hero,” he says. “He spoilt me my whole life. I’m incredibly proud of him, especially because of the courageous act he performed.”
According to Sami, his father was not only a hard worker but also a much-loved figure in Brussels. “He worked in the Brabantstraat, on the Bergensesteenweg in Anderlecht – basically all over Brussels. My father did everything he could to put food on the table.”
Outside of work, too, Atounane was dedicated to helping others, says his son. “He supported many charities. In the mountains of Morocco, he did voluntary work and helped people living in abject poverty. He was truly a wonderful person.”
Sami saw his father on his deathbed
It came as no surprise to Sami that Driss Atounane intervened on the tram last week. “My father stood for justice. He didn’t want that woman to suffer.”
His father’s death is a tragedy for the whole family, says Sami. Relatives from Spain and other countries have travelled to Brussels. Yet alongside the grief, pride also prevails. “He was a genuine and loyal man. Now, when I get on the tram, I notice that people are more aware of this.”
Sami saw his father on his deathbed. “Even after he had passed away, he was still smiling. He looked at peace, as if he were thinking: I have gone in beauty, I have gone like a hero. And that is the only thing I want.”