In the days leading up to her death Reeva Steenkamp’s excitement about Valentine’s Day was clear. But February 14 ended up going terribly wrong for the 30-year-old. She was shot dead after her boyfriend Oscar Pistorius allegedly mistook her for an intruder.
Pistorius, nicknamed the Blade Runner, is one of South Africa’s most famous athletes and he made history at the London Olympics last year when he became the first double-amputee runner to compete on the track at the Games.
Steenkamp, who was a former FHM model, grew up in Port Elizabeth, where she studied law, but later moved to Johannesburg after signing a deal with cosmetics company Avon. She went on to feature in various advertising campaigns.
Reeva Steenkamp has tragically died. Getty Images
Her father was Barry Steenkamp, a well-known horse trainer related to famous South African trainers the Amos brothers.
Sarit Tomlinson, Steenkamp’s publicist, told Sky News: “She was the sweetest human being and an absolute angel on earth. She was the kindest, most unbelievable girl.
“They had been together for a couple of months and it had been a healthy, fabulous relationship. At the moment it’s shocking. No-one knows what’s happened.
“She was a rising star. There was so much in the pipeline for her: she was just about to explode into the media.”
‘She was a very talented, very bright young girl. It’s too shocking for words. We’ll miss her so much, too much. Our condolences go to her family.’
