A courageous husband's defiant message to the attackers who killed his wife in Paris.

A grieving husband and father wrote an powerful open letter to the terrorists who killed his wife, despite the sadness he feels, it has a positive message. Antoine Leiris is a Parisian who lost his wife Helene Muyal in the Friday violence that shook the French capital, taking the lives of at least 129 and injuring hundreds more.
He penned the poignant tribute to his wife on Monday, publishing it on his Facebook page. His status, promising to not let his 17-month-old son grow up in fear of ISIS, has been shared over 150,000 times in just a few days.
Mr Leiris, who first met his 35-year-old wife 12 years ago, goes on to say: “Friday night you took away the life of an exceptional human being, the love of my life, the mother of my son, but you will not have my hatred.”
He states that he would raise their infant son Melvil “happy and free” and that responding to “hatred with anger is falling victim to the same ignorance that has made you what you are.”
He drives a powerful message to the terrorist group ISIS : “So I will not give you the privilege of hating you. You certainly sought it, but replying to hatred with anger would be giving in to the same ignorance which made you into what you are. You want me to be frightened, that I should look into the eyes of my fellow citizens with distrust, that I sacrifice my freedom for security. You lost. I will carry on as before.”
Let us all be humbled by the love and strength shown by this amazing individual who is overcoming the greatest obstacles of human emotions to keep living to the fullest in such a terrible situation. It won’t stop the atrocities, but it shines light to the power of love and the human spirit.
Full translated message:

“Friday night, you took an exceptional life – the love of my life, the mother of my son – but you will not have my hatred.

I don’t know who you are and I don’t want to know, you are dead souls. If this God, for whom you kill blindly, made us in his image, every bullet in the body of my wife would have been one more wound in his heart.

So, no, I will not grant you the gift of my hatred. You’re asking for it, but responding to hatred with anger is falling victim to the same ignorance that has made you what you are.

You want me to be scared, to view my countrymen with mistrust, to sacrifice my liberty for my security. You lost.

I saw her this morning. Finally, after nights and days of waiting. She was just as beautiful as when she left on Friday night, just as beautiful as when I fell hopelessly in love over 12 years ago.

Of course I am devastated by this pain, I give you this little victory, but the pain will be short-lived. I know that she will be with us every day and that we will find ourselves again in this paradise of free love to which you have no access.

We are just two, my son and me, but we are stronger than all the armies in the world. I don’t have any more time to devote to you, I have to join Melvil who is waking up from his nap. He is barely 17-months-old. He will eat his meals as usual, and then we are going to play as usual, and for his whole life this little boy will threaten you by being happy and free.

Because no, you will not have his hatred either.”