Fathers Whose Daughters Were Killed at Taylor Swift-Themed Dance Class Run London Marathon in Their Honor
Sergio Aguiar and David Stancombe, the dads of two young girls killed at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in England in July, ran the 2025 London Marathon in their daughters' honor
'This is an incredible way to honor the memory of your precious daughters, and the entire nation is in awe of your courage and resilience,' said UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer
Aguiar's daughter Alice, 9, Stancombe's daughter Elsie, 7, and a third victim, 6-year-old Bebe King, were fatally stabbed by Axel Rudakubana, who has been sentenced to life in prison
The fathers of two of the three young girls killed at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in 2024 ran the 2025 London Marathon in their honor.
On Sunday, April 27, Sergio Aguiar and David Stancombe took on the 26.2-mile course in a moving show of love for their late daughters and to raise money for charity.
They completed the race, with London Express reporting that Aguiar was visibly emotional as he crossed the finish line and fell to the ground.
Aguiar was pictured smiling and holding a medal after the completion the marathon, while wearing a shirt with a portrait of his late daughter Alice Dasilva Aguiar, 9. The shirt featured information for a GoFundMe to raise money to build a playground at Churchtown Primary School in honor of his daughter and another stabbing victim Bebe King, 6.
Related: Taylor Swift at a 'Complete Loss' After Southport Stabbing That Left 3 Children Dead at Swift-Themed Event
Stancombe was photographed flashing a thumbs up at the end of the race. Similar to Aguiar, he wore a white shirt promoting the charitable trust Elsie's Story — created for his late daughter Elsie Dot Stancombe, 7.
Prior to the race, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer shared a video to voice his support for the two marathoners. 'David and Sergio, I want to wish you the very best of luck in the London Marathon this weekend,' he said.
'I know how much it means to you and your families. This is an incredible way to honor the memory of your precious daughters, and the entire nation is in awe of your courage and resilience,' Starmer added. 'We'll all be with you every step of the way. Good luck."
Related: King Charles Privately Meets Families of 3 Girls Killed at Taylor Swift-Themed Dance Class
On July 29, 2024, David's daughter Elsie, Sergio's daughter Alice and King were fatally stabbed at a Swift-themed dance class at The Hart Space community center in Southport, England.
In January, Axel Rudakubana, 18, was sentenced to life in prison with a minimum of 52 years after admitting to his role in the deadly attack, Merseyside Police announced in a press release.
During the attack, Rudakubana, who was 17 at the time, also wounded eight other children and two adults, including event organizer and yoga teacher Leanne Lucas.
'There were 26 children at the party, all of them happy and enjoying themselves," Judge Julian Goose said during Rudakubana's sentencing hearing. "He targeted those children for the horrific, extreme violence he was intent upon. It was such extreme violence of the utmost seriousness [that] it was difficult to comprehend."
Sergio did not have much running experience before training for the marathon. He told BBC Breakfast that he talks to his late daughter Alice while out on runs.
"I tell her to keep going with me, that we're going to do this together, you're going to be with me — always," said Sergio, who was raising money to build a new playground at Churchtown Primary School, where Alice was a student. Jinnie Payne, the school's headteacher, offered to run alongside Sergio in the marathon.
Bebe's parents, Lauren and Ben King, planned to attend the race to cheer on David and Sergio, according to the outlet.
"It is just incredible what they are both doing," Lauren said. "And we want to be a part of it every step of the way."
David told the outlet that around 40 other friends and family members would be on the sidelines to support him, wearing T-shirts and sweatshirts bearing the Elsie's Story logo. "I want to enjoy the day. I want to do it for me and I want to do it for Elsie," he said.
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His wife, Jenni Stancombe, told BBC Breakfast that she had no doubt he would complete the marathon, noting, "I know it will be Elsie who'll be the one to carry him over that finish line."
Sergio was equally determined to finish the course.
"Twenty-six miles, I've never done anything like that before. But for my girl, I would do 26 or 50 — whatever," he told the outlet. "The pain doesn't matter. I'm going to do it."
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