Grenfell Tower fire: Heartbreaking tributes to father and daughter victims Hashim Kedir and Firdaws Hashim, 12

Heartfelt tributes have been paid to a father and his young daughter who died together in the Grenfell Tower tragedy.

Grieving relatives shared memories of the pair as inquests into the deaths of Hashim Kedir, 44, and his 12-year-old daughter Firdaws Hashim were opened at Westminster Coroners' Court on Friday (August 4).

Hashim's sister described him as her "best friend" and remembered how she was always known as "Hashim's sister" as he was the smartest boy in school.

"You were my role model," she said. "You were my partner in discussing and solving family matters; you were the one I used to call when I had a problem that I couldn’t solve.

"You were the one I used to call when I had something good to tell. I don’t know what I am going to do without you.

"Each part of my body and my brain have the problem of accepting the fact that you are gone and I cannot talk to you again.

"I keep forgetting now and then why it has been this long since we talked when so much is happening. Reality dribbles and hits me hard."

The grieving sister described Hashim as "giving and sharing" until his last day, remembering his last call to the family, late in the afternoon of June 13, was all about that.

She added: "You used to make friends so easily; age, gender, religion, ethnicity or social status didn’t matter. One can tell the kind of person you were from the diversity of people that are crying over your death.

"You were everybody’s favourite in the family. Your love for the family, your softheartedness, generosity and ability to forgive anyone were the causes of that."

His nieces said they "can’t even begin" to list all the things that made Hashim the best uncle, brother, father or friend one could possibly ask for.

In a tribute, they said: "You were intelligent, smart, hardworking, hilarious, and caring. You were always there for everyone and anyone who needed help.

"Yahya, Firdaws and Yaqub were the most incredible children, and they’re proof of what an amazing father you were.

"Thank you so much for being there for my mom, me, my sister and our entire family. You made us all better people.

"No words can express the pain and grief that we have inside us over the loss of you and your whole family, the way you were taken from us, the things that you had to go through in that horrible night and the fact that we are left with nothing that we can say it is yours."

12-year-old Firdaws was described as a talented singer who was also a "intelligent, wise, eloquent and beautiful niece and cousin".

"You had the voice of an angel," said her family. "You were so smart and mature for your age that everybody had a lot to say about the type of future you were going to have; the future that was stolen from you."

Her cousins, who "miss her terribly" spoke of how they were in "awe" of her: "You spread so much love and positivity and I always admired you for that," said one.

"It still blows my mind how talented you were. I remember the first time I heard you sing. It still amazes me how beautiful and strong your voice was."

Another family member described her as the "most talented and lovely person I have ever met".

"You had an amazing and beautiful voice and you were good at everything. You were not only my niece, but my best friend too," they said.

A further tribute read: "I am so sorry that your bright future was stolen from you. I am so sorry that you had to leave this way.

"I am so sorry that you had to go through so much. I am so sorry that we weren’t there to alleviate your pain. I am so sorry that you were let down like this.

"Although my ignorant mind couldn’t see anything good or positive about this tormenting tragedy, one tiny thing that gives me some type of comfort now and then is knowing the fact that you were/are together with your family that you loved most.

"I have no choice but to accept the fact that you are in a better place now."

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