Humble and loving brother will be remembered

A former Edenvale High School (EHS) learner and victim of a vehicle collision, Renato Dielo, has been described as a humble and loving person by his sister, Nadia.

On November 5 Renato was travelling with his friends, James Mcfarlene (u-19 Kaizer Chiefs Youth Development Academy player) and EHS learner Lekisha Munro, when the vehicle they were travelling in collided with a perimeter wall.

The collision occurred on Andries Pretorius Road.

Nadia said her 18-year-old brother was killed on the night of the collision.

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“Renato was always there for people and people were always there for him. He would always help people through tough times and they would always lend him a hand when he needed help.”

Nadia explained that Renato and James had actually gone to the same crèche but only realised it when they were in Grade Five.
Living in Kensington, both youngsters went to the same school.

“The one day James came over to our house and saw a photograph of Renato dressed as a firefighter for crèche when he was younger.

“He asked Renato where he had gotten the photo because he had a similar photograph of himself.”

Nadia said after the pair realised they had gone to the same Montessori crèche they formed a friendship.

However, it wasn’t until Renato’s older brother, Anderson, died last year, that the pair formed an unbreakable bond.

“They were always there for each other, if you saw one of them you knew the other one was close by.”

Nadia said her brother was an extremely lively person who made friends wherever he went.

“He was a very loving and respectful boy. He adored our mother and always told her that one day he would look after her.

“He was a very protective and loving child.”

Nadia said in 2013 Renato, with the help of a friend, saved his two-year-old cousin.

“Renato went to tell his friend something and, on his way back, he saw his cousin face down in the family’s pool. He got her out the pool and with the help of the friend did CPR.

“Most adults wouldn’t even do that. They would want to phone the relevant authorities first and here he was, at 11 years old, risking his life.”

Nadia said the boys and the family were so proud of what had done.

Nadia said Renato met Lekisha in high school in Grade Eight and the two stayed in touch after he left the school.

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“That was the thing about Renato, although he made jokes and acted as the class clown, now and then he always made sure he stayed in touch with his friends.”

Nadia explained that when the family first received news of the collision, they thought it was a bumper bashing and nothing serious at first.

“A family friend phoned us and told us Renato had been in an accident. I remember I was brushing my teeth and didn’t think much of it at the time.”

However, as time went by the family started worrying.

“We started calling other friends and other people we knew but nobody could tell us what was happening. Eventually, we decided to go to the scene of the collision.”

At the scene, the Dielo family told first responders who they were but they could not get close to the scene.

“We could see somebody being treated in an ambulance, somebody being taken to a helicopter and a body on the ground. We didn’t know where Renato was, so we started praying for all three.”

“When we were told it was Renato’s body on the ground, it hit the family hard.”

Nadia said Renato’s youngest niece has taken his death the hardest.

“She misses him so much and still doesn’t really understand that he isn’t coming back. When he was still alive, she would ask if we could video call him or just call him, and she still wants to do that. Renato was her favourite uncle.”

Nadia thanked everyone for the support they have shown the family during this time.

“We have no words to express how grateful we are for all the help and love.”

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