Oscar Pistorius, the double-amputee Olympian awaiting a murder trial for the killing of girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp on Valentine’s Day last year, posted a message of “pain and sadness on his Web site. It was posted on the eve of the one-year anniversary of the fatal shooting at his home in South Africa.
The message about Reeva Steenkamp reads:
14 February 2014No words can adequately capture my feelings about the devastating accident that has caused such heartache for everyone who truly loved – and continues to love Reeva.
The pain and sadness – especially for Reeva’s parents, family and friends consumes me with sorrow.
The loss of Reeva and the complete trauma of that day, I will carry with me for the rest of my life.
– Oscar
Pistorius also linked to the message on his official Twitter account:
A few words from my heart on http://t.co/WNF7RXMNLP
— Oscar Pistorius (@OscarPistorius) February 13, 2014
It was his first Twitter post since he shot and killed the 29-year-old model and reality TV star while she was locked in the bathroom on Valentine’s Day last year. He has said he thought she was an intruder, but prosecutors say the couple had been arguing before the incident and that Pistorius killed her in a fit of rage.
Known as the “Blade Runner” for the blade-like prosthetics he uses in place of his amputated legs when running, Pistorius became an inspirational story for competing against able-bodied runners in the 2012 Summer Games in London.
The trial starts on March 3 and will have its own 24-hour cable channel devoted to covering it.
If convicted, Pistorius faces 25 years to life in prison. South Africa abolished the death penalty in 1996, shortly after the formal end of apartheid.
