The wife of a man who was killed on New Year’s Day nearly four years ago defending baby twins has spoken out about how the pain of such an experience should not lead to revenge but should be replaced with empathy and love.

Claire Zammit Xuereb, whose husband Duncan was killed as he fought off an intruder who also died in the incident, has written on Facebook that she is preparing a book on the subject, “addressing the magnitude of the pain a person and his family endures when facing such devastation, with an aim to help others deal with their own pain, through my experience. If pain is not healed from its roots, the pain will grow exponentially and will take control.”

She also has words of understanding for the man who attacked her family. “Four years ago a man who was a victim of war, had seen his own parents being killed with knives, in front of his own eyes as a child. He carried this pain through his entire life until one day it manifested itself and consequently, my family became the new victims.”

“If we, the victims and the effected families do not stop the horrible devastation and rage that was shed upon us, the world will be a very sad and horrible place to live in. The anger will keep growing and the ripple effects of it will become unstoppable. The only way to stop this war that's going on, is to educate ourselves to replace this anger with empathy and love.”

Claire Zammit Xuereb, who is the daughter of construction magnate Anglu Xuereb, was with her husband and twins at home in Sliema on New Year’s Day when her family was attacked by an intruder who made his way into their home.

The police had named the attacker as Nicholas Gera, 26, of Sliema, who was born in Bosnia.

Duncan Zammit, 32, died of 30 knife wounds, cuts and bruises – mostly sustained as he tried to defend himself – while Nicholas Gera had 10, although just two wounds could be considered life-threatening.