Former EastEnders star Brooke Kinsella has paid tribute to her brother 15 years after his murder.
Benjamin was stabbed to death in Islington in 2008 after going out to celebrate completing his GCSE exams. The actress posted on Instagram to commemorate his passing.
"15 years ago today we had to say goodbye to you. They remain the hardest words I've ever had to say. I don't seem to have any words left so I'll take some small comfort from yours. I will love you forever Benjamina," she wrote alongside a series of photos of herself alongside Benjamin.
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Brooke, who played Kelly Taylor on the BBC soap between 2001 and 2004, told the Evening Standard she was still "heartbroken" by the loss of her brother.
"Fifteen years on, I am still so heartbroken at the violent and unnecessary loss of such a beautiful boy and the ripple effect it had on so many," she said. "I am thinking of my family, Ben's friends, the wife he might have loved and the children he might have had.
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"I am even more heartbroken that we haven't succeeded in making this world a safer place, a place where 16-year-old boys can make it home to their beds. It can be hard to keep going, but I made a promise to my brother all those years ago, and I will do all I can to keep it. We will never give up in the fight against knife crime."
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Brooke and her husband, Simon Boardley, named their second child after Ben. The actress has run an anti-knife campaign with her family, with the organisation working directly with over 30,000 young people.
Brooke returned to EastEnders in a consultancy role in 2018 to help with a knife-related storyline. She commended producers for their bravery in tackling the issue.
"Soaps reflect real life and issues in society, so I commend them for highlighting something like this," Brooke said at the time. "I know they can be tough to watch, but I think it's so important and necessary."
EastEnders airs on Mondays - Thursdays at 7.30pm on BBC One. The show also streams on BBC iPlayer.
Read more EastEnders spoilers on our dedicated homepage
If you identify with the themes in this article, the NHS has resources available to help with grief counselling and other support in the UK. In the US, the CDC also has resources available for those grieving.
