How a fatal crash rewrote a family’s future

In the year since Mildred Azzopardi was killed by a speeding driver in Valletta, her four children have had to completely rewrite their futures.

Cain, 36, abandoned his life in Sweden to move back to Malta as his father’s full-time carer.

Maria, 23, put her master’s degree on hold to work and help keep the family afloat.

Janice, 34, turned to therapy to process the trauma while raising three young children, while 28-year-old Amy inked her mother’s handwritten words into her skin – just as she discovered she is expecting twins who will never meet their grandmother.

Their lives were upended on July 27 last year. Mildred, 62, had spent a peaceful afternoon in Dingli with her husband, Alfred, sharing tea and cheesecakes before driving into Valletta.

Later that evening, as Mildred stood at the boot of their parked car at Ta’ Liesse, a Subaru Impreza smashed into them. She died at the scene. Alfred, a 69-year-old former footballer sitting in the passenger seat, survived with devastating, life-altering injuries.

Mildred loved watching the sun set at Dingli Cliffs.

Marking a year since the crash, the four siblings gathered together at their mother’s favourite coastal bench in Dingli for the first time since her death to speak out against a world they fear moves on too quickly.

“With other accidents, you see that, with time, they are forgotten,” says Amy. “But it is still going on. Our story is not over. We are still here and still living it.”

Our story is not over. We are still here and still living it- Amy

The legal battle and financial strain

The driver charged in the crash, 23-year-old soldier Benjamin Chetcuti, has pleaded not guilty to involuntary homicide and drink-driving. Court testimony revealed his blood alcohol level was more than five times the legal limit and he was driving at an average speed of 98 km/h.

While the legal proceedings drag on, the Azzopardi family’s everyday reality remains heavy.

“It was a tough year mentally, financially, in every way,” says Maria.

It was a tough year – mentally, financially, in every way- Maria

The immediate aftermath forced the siblings to step up in ways they never anticipated. Cain now coordinates private care alongside government support for his father, whose health deteriorated sharply after the accident.

“I took on the role of mum,” Cain explains. “I am indirectly dad’s carer. I take care of him at home and coordinate with the private carers we hire to help while I go to work. On the day of the accident, he was out with her. Now he doesn’t go out at all.”

I took on the role of mum- Cain

Janice and Amy juggle their jobs alongside young families, but the emotional cost touches everyone.

“Life goes on and we have to try to make it work, but there’s that void that’s there all the time,” Cain adds.

A justice system that prolongs the pain

For Janice, coping meant seeking victim support therapy remotely around the demands of her children. Beyond the grief, it is the slow pace of justice and current road safety laws that leave her feeling raw.

“The irony... a person charged with killing someone by speeding can keep driving,” Janice says. “I’m sure he didn’t do it on purpose, but we will not rest until justice is served.”

Court delays have dragged out the grieving process, turning family milestones into painful reminders.

“We really want our father to see justice being served,” Janice says, recalling how they spent the day after Mother’s Day sitting in a courtroom.

“Christmas was a disaster. My birthday was a mess. Her birthday in January was terrible.”

The irony... a person charged with killing someone by speeding can keep driving- Janice

Hope amid grief

Yet, amid the trauma, life has flickered back. Amy’s pregnancy with twins brings a bittersweet light to the family.

“These will be the first babies in the family she won’t be here to meet. It’s sad,” Amy says.

“They are a blessing at the worst possible time,” Janice adds softy. “Mum would have been the first to be there. This time, I’ll make sure I’m there.”

Two of the siblings as young children with their mother Mildred.

On her arm, Amy wears a permanent tribute: a tattoo reproducing her mother’s handwriting that reads, “Drive safely Amy.”

“Some years ago, my mum left me a ftira with this note near it,” Amy remembers. “Over the years, she left us many notes. But, for some reason, I put this in my phone cover. It’s been there for years.”

Rebuilding family routines without the person who anchored them remains a daily struggle.

“Let’s be honest, it did break the family a bit,” Janice admits. “She was the button that held us together. We try. Even when we plan to meet, we realise she was the one who organised everything, even deciding who would cook is hard. No one can match her cooking.”

The siblings continue to push for stricter traffic enforcement, higher driving standards, and the immediate suspension of licences for those involved in fatal crashes.

Cain adds: “Life goes on and we have to try to make it work, but there’s that void that’s there all the time.”

The siblings flanked by their father Alfred (left) and Mildred.