Graduation ceremonies are usually moments of joy, pride, and hope for the future.
But for one family in Taunton, Somerset, this year’s ceremony at the University of Nottingham was anything but typical.
Instead of watching their son cross the stage, the Webber family was forced to confront the painful reality of a life taken too soon.
Honouring Barney’s Memory in Nottingham
Seventeen-year-old Charlie Webber stood in for his older brother, Barnaby—lovingly known as Barney—at what should have been Barney’s end-of-year graduation celebration.
Alongside his godmother Abi Rawlins, Charlie made the emotional trip to Nottingham to accept a posthumous degree in history on behalf of his late brother.
Barney, a first-year student at the University of Nottingham, was tragically killed in a senseless knife attack in June 2023.
He had been walking home from a night out with fellow student Grace O’Malley-Kumar when both were brutally attacked.
Parents Too Grief-Stricken to Attend
Barney’s parents, Emma and David, could not face the ceremony.
In a heartfelt message read by Ms. Rawlins, they expressed the overwhelming sorrow of missing a moment they had always envisioned celebrating with their son.
“This is a day every parent dreams of for their children,” they wrote.
“To see that future so violently ripped away from Barney is beyond cruel.”
Despite their grief, they praised Barney’s joyful spirit and the mark he left on so many lives—simply by being himself.
Remembering a Vibrant Life
Barney had worked hard to get into the University of Nottingham, and the moment he found out he’d been accepted, his parents recalled, “a beaming smile came to his face and pretty much stayed there.”
The family expressed deep gratitude to the university for giving Barney this final recognition, and shared their pride in Charlie’s strength.
“You are exceptional,” they said to him directly. “Barney may have teased you like only an older brother can, but he loved you more than you knew.”
They asked the other graduates to celebrate their own achievements—and to raise a glass for Barney when they did. “He would’ve loved that.”
Grace O’Malley-Kumar Also Honoured
Grace O’Malley-Kumar, who tried to defend Barney during the attack, was honoured in a separate ceremony earlier that week.
Her close friend Nicola Fletcher accepted the degree on her parents’ behalf, as they too found the occasion too painful to attend.
Grace’s family, both of whom are doctors, called her “fearless,” “brave,” and “deeply loyal.”
She was described as someone who “stood by her friends until her final breath.”
They encouraged the medical students in attendance to always treat their patients like family, a principle they say their daughter embodied.
A System That Failed Them All
The pain for the families has only deepened with the knowledge that the attacker, Valdo Calocane, had a long documented history of mental illness and instability.
Known to flatmates as a “ticking timebomb,” Calocane had already been flagged to multiple authorities—including the NHS, police, and his employer—but still managed to carry out his deadly rampage.
After killing Barney and Grace, he went on to murder school caretaker Ian Coates and injured three others using a stolen van.
Despite the severity of his crimes, Calocane was sentenced in January 2024 to a hospital order due to his mental illness—a ruling that left families feeling justice had not been served.
Calls for Justice and Accountability
Since the sentencing, the families have called for Calocane to face full murder charges.
Their persistence prompted Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer to launch a judge-led public inquiry into the failures that led up to the attack.
A report released in February revealed that Calocane had refused long-term antipsychotic medication because he didn’t like needles—and authorities complied.
Disturbingly, the same mental health trust that oversaw Calocane also had other patients involved in fatal stabbings between 2019 and 2023.
Moving Forward, Holding On
As graduates walked across the stage and accepted their degrees, the presence of Barney and Grace lingered heavily in the room.
Their deaths were not just a tragic loss for their families, but a heartbreaking reminder of what could have been.
Still, their loved ones are determined to keep their memories alive—with courage, with truth, and with hope that no other family has to experience such unimaginable loss again.