It still feels hard to grasp that “Oscar shot Reeva” is a factual statement, doesn’t it? Thank you again to those of you who sent me messages - one of the best parts of this blog has always been the wonderful people it has enabled me to meet. I know that lots of Oscar’s fans are mourning what is in all likelihood the end of his unprecedented career; however, I think it is important for us - while we’re all entitled to our emotions - to acknowledge that the real tragedy is Reeva Steenkamp’s death.

“The violent death of Steenkamp, who is the real victim of the shooting near Pretoria, matters far more than Pistorius’ dramatic fall and sobbing appearance in court.”

- Donald McRae in The Gauridan

I respect that many people are coming to Oscar’s defense, but like I said before, I am not condemning nor defending him. I wish I could say “I know he would never do such a thing,” but I can’t say that because I don’t know. I never met him or saw what he was like away from the cameras. And when I consider the intense grief and remorse Oscar must be feeling, my mind immediately goes back to Reeva’s family.

“Tragedy of the ‘Blade Runner’ Pistorius shooting is not that an Olympic Gold medal winner stumbled - it is that an innocent woman was killed.”

- Jonathan Moremi on Twitter

Clearly, the sadness any of us may feel can’t possibly match a fragment of the sorrow Reeva’s family and friends are facing. (I can’t begin to grasp the nightmare the Pistorius family is living, either.) Any present mourning I do is for Reeva’s death.

“Our thoughts and prayers today should be for Reeva and her family, regardless of the circumstances of this terrible, terrible tragedy.”

- Exceprt from Oscar’s family’s statement

I don’t regret the time I spent on this blog in the past six months. It was fun, it was celebratory, and I was proud of it. I have never enjoyed sports as much as I did when I watched Oscar run. But I haven’t actually lost something - not the way Reeva’s family has. For now, I am grieving for her family, demanding justice, and closely following developments in this case.