Pooja & Nikita Kanda

We are a mother and daughter who have channelled our grief into honouring the life and legacy of Ronan Kanda.

Ronan was a beautiful young man—witty, clever, full of life, happiness and laughter, with a smile that lit up every room. In June 2022, we lost Ronan to a mistaken identity knife attack. He was just 16 years old, and so were the boys who took his life. Ronan had done nothing wrong. He was outside his own home, on his own street, simply living his life when it was cruelly taken from him.

We were a close, loving family, and in a single moment our lives changed forever. Rather than allowing our grief to define us, we chose to turn our pain into purpose and campaign for change so other families would not have to experience the heartbreak we live with every day.

Our campaign led to Ronan's Law, introduced in 2025, which banned ninja swords and strengthened online knife sale protections through stricter age and identity verification, monitoring of suspicious and bulk purchases, and greater accountability for retailers. We are now campaigning for a retailer licensing system to ensure everyone selling bladed articles accepts that responsibility.

Nothing will ever bring Ronan back, but if his legacy helps another child return home safely to their family, then his life continues to make a difference. Every child deserves to make it home.