“To err is human; To forgive, divine.” – Alexander Pope
They say forgiveness can set you free and do a lot more for the one forgiving than the person who wronged them. However, if you’ve ever been hurt by someone’s words or actions, you know well that truly clearing the air is way easier said than done.
That’s exactly why a British law lecturer is making headlines worldwide for his response to a devastating situation. You may remember Paul Kohler’s tragic story. In August, 2014, four alcohol and drug-fueled Polish burglars mistakenly targeted the home of Kohler, his wife, and four daughters, looking to collect a debt. As soon as they arrived, the men began their violent rampage.
The four burglars savagely attacked Paul Kohler in his Wimbledon, South London home, asking “Where is the money?”.
Kohler was left with a fractured eye socket and jawbone, a broken nose and multiple bruises, according to the Daily News. His face was left unrecognizable and he later need reconstructive surgery.
The assailants also attacked Kohler’s wife, Samantha MacArthur, while their 25-year-old daughter Eloise hid upstairs, frantically calling police and fearing her parents were being murdered below.
If authorities hadn’t arrived in time, it’s likely Kohler wouldn’t have survived the freak attack.
The now 56-year-old father of four told The Mirror UK that although he nearly died, it wasn’t justice he wanted. “I wanted an apology that was meaningful, that could allow me to move on.” 16 months after being savagely beaten by four violent strangers, Kohler finally got what he was looking for.
With help from the Why Me?, a charity for victims who seek restorative justice, Kohler and his family met with one of the attackers, Mariusz Tomaszewski, at a jail last week. Tomaszewski has been sentenced to 19 years in jail for grievous bodily harm and failed burglary, but when he came face-to-face with the University of London professor, he said he was sorry for everything he had done.
Kohler was able to look his attacker in the eye, accept his apology, and shake his hand.
He told The Mirror “From the meeting I have learned that forgiving is more rewarding for the forgiver than the forgiven. I had gone to help myself and my family, but in doing so I think we helped him, too. I think any victim of crime should consider restorative justice.”
Learn more about Paul Kohler’s unbelievable story of tragedy and triumph in the video below.
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