London Hero Protects Family During Terrifying Sword Attack, Sister Reveals
In a harrowing incident in Hainault, East London, IT engineer Henry De Los Rios Polania, 35, was severely injured while heroically defending his family against a sword-wielding assailant. His sister, Jessica De Los Rios, 31, recounted the traumatic events and the bravery her brother displayed during the attack.
Early Tuesday morning, as Henry and his family were asleep, their home was invaded by an attacker armed with a large machete. Despite the shock and fear, Henry managed to protect his niece and sister-in-law from harm. “They were just literally sleeping, opened their eyes to see a man with a big machete sword. He felt helpless in the moment but to us he is our hero. It could have been extremely worse,” Jessica stated.
Henry suffered a deep wound to his hand during the ordeal and is currently recovering in the hospital. His recovery is expected to be challenging due to the severity of his injuries. “It’s a very long process to get his hand recovered, due to this wound,” Jessica explained, detailing the physical and emotional toll on her brother. “He’s awake, he’s in hospital,” but “he lost a lot of blood” and “it’s going to be a really long, traumatising recovery for him.”
Jessica also highlighted the psychological scars left on the family, emphasizing their ongoing distress and fear. “We just have faith, but what worries me the most is how traumatised they are. They haven’t been able to sleep. It’s unbelievable. These kind of things you see on the news and you never think it could happen to you. Unfortunately, I don’t think they will want to go back into the house and live there again. It’s been extremely hard to take in such a horrific situation.”
The attack not only affected Henry’s family but also claimed the life of 14-year-old schoolboy Daniel Anjorin. The suspect, identified as Marcus Monzo, 36, faces multiple charges, including murder, two counts of attempted murder, two counts of grievous bodily harm, one count of aggravated burglary, and possession of a bladed article.
As the community reels from this violent episode, Jessica praises the combined efforts of the police, paramedics, and doctors, recognizing their critical role in managing the aftermath and supporting her family through this devastating time. “He’s very devastated to believe something like this could happen,” she said, firmly stating, “To us, he’s our hero. He protected them, my niece and sister-in-law.