Youssef, 13, died at the railway crossing in Örebro

Youssef was only 13 years old.

He loved soccer and dreamed of getting a driver’s license.

On Wednesday, he was hit at a railway crossing in Örebro.

Now his mother wants to see the police surveillance footage.

– If I don’t get to see that it has happened, I won’t be able to understand, she says.

On Tuesday, Youssef landed in Sweden again. Since a year ago he lived in Belgium with his mother. Now he was going to visit his father and siblings in Örebro. And he was especially curious to meet his one sister’s newborn child.

– He had longed and was so happy, says his mother Ayoush Qassem, 41.

But Youssef only had time to see the family for just over a day.

On Wednesday evening, Youssef, a woman in her 20s and a man in her 25s were hit by a freight train at a railway crossing at the Södra station in Örebro.

Their lives could not be saved.

On Friday, friends, family and passing Örebro brothers left flowers and candles at the memorial site next to the station.

Youssef’s mother carries a picture of her son. She presses it close to her arms in the drizzle and gently lays it down in the wet grass. Just recently some friends were here and made a heart out of tealights.

Youssef and the woman in her 20s had been in Kumla during the evening and were on their way back home to Örebro when the accident occurred.

Looking for Youssef

When Youssef didn’t come home, the family set out to look for him. His mother was in Belgium when she got the news by phone. Youssef had disappeared and a train accident had occurred at the same time. She says that she splurged on the first best flight and traveled to Sweden.

The next day, the family received the nightmare message from the police.

– He was such a smart and talented little guy. I cannot understand how this could have happened, she says.

On Friday, several members of the family gathered at the station to leave flowers, candles and mourn. And to see the place where it happened.

– I feel so bad. He slept in my room when he was here visiting and I haven’t been able to sleep all night. It is so tragic what has happened, says Youssef’s brother Mohammed.

Youssef’s mother tells us that they fled Syria and came to Sweden when he was three years old.

– We all lived here for nine years and he loved Sweden. Youssef and I have lived in Belgium for a year and he really enjoyed coming back and visiting Sweden, she says.

Youssef liked to cut hair and different hairstyles. He thought about maybe becoming a teacher.

– And then he longed very much until he could start practice driving and get his driver’s license, says his mother and shows a picture of him sitting in a driver’s seat and smiling happily into the camera.

But above all he loved football. Especially FC Barcelona and one of the idols was Lionel Messi. He himself played right wing midfielder.

Brother Mohammed shows a film where Youssef proudly pulls the hangers with his collection of football shirts.

– We should have played indoor football tonight. I usually do it on Fridays and he would be allowed to come along today. We are seven sisters in the family and four brothers. But now we are just three brothers, says Mohammed.

Want to see the surveillance video

On Friday, police said the deceased were hit on the unmanned level crossing and none of them crossed the tracks. They had gotten off the passenger train on the platform between the tracks. To get over the railway area you have to cross two tracks. Then they were hit by a passing freight train.

– How can they not have closed this transition? It can’t possibly be like this, says Mohammed.

Several people witnessed the accident. During Friday, the police stated that the incident was filmed by a surveillance camera.

Youssef’s mother says she wants to see the film, from start to finish.

– If I don’t get to see that it has happened, I won’t be able to understand. I won’t be able to believe it, she says.