Deborah Knight pays a touching tribute to murdered mother Hannah Clarke on the one-year anniversary of her tragic death
On Friday, Deborah Knight paid tribute to murdered mother Hannah Clarke.
While filling in for host Allison Langdon on the Today show, the 48-year-old TV veteran wore the colour pink, on the one-year anniversary of Hannah’s tragic death.
Deborah opted for a pink sleeveless blouse by Erdem and a simple white skirt by Karen Gee.
Emotional: On Friday, Deborah Knight paid a touching tribute to murdered mother Hannah Clarke on the one-year anniversary of her tragic death
Speaking to 9Honey, Deborah explained that she chose the colour ‘not because it was Hannah’s favourite colour, but because it’s the colour her estranged husband would never let her wear’.
The radio presenter also revealed that after she changed out of from the pink top following the show, she wore a pink coat for the remainder of the day.
Brisbane buildings and parks were also lit pink on Friday night in honour of Hannah and her three young children – Aaliyah, six, Laianah, four, and Trey, three – who were all murdered.
Tragic: Hannah Clarke (pictured above) with her two daughters Aaliyah, six, and Laianah, four – all three tragically passed away at the hands of her estranged husband Rowan Baxter
‘All of Brisbane will be turned pink tonight – buildings lit up – and it’s a sight Hannah would have loved to see,’ Deborah added.
On February 19, 2020, Hannah’s estranged husband Rowan Baxter jumped in the car and doused her and the children in petrol and set them alight in Camp Hill in a shocking domestic violence attack.
The children died in the car and Hannah, who sustained burns to 97 percent of her body, died later in hospital.
Rowan died at the scene from self-inflicted knife wounds.
Heartbreaking: Hannah Clarke’s three children (pictured above) – Aaliyah, Laianah and Trey at Sea World on the Gold Coast before their tragic passing in 2020
Deborah spoke to Hannah’s parents, Lloyd and Sue Clarke, ahead of the anniversary on her radio program for 2GB, where Lloyd explained why they want to spread the colour pink.
‘It wasn’t just that it was her favourite colour, it was more so… he didn’t like her wearing pink… she’d put a pink dress or something on and he’d say, “come on, look at you, you look like a 14-year-old, act your age,” Lloyd said.
‘So that’s why we chose pink. We thought we can’t put enough pink out there… he didn’t like it. The pinker the better.’
Following the tragedy, Hannah’s parents Lloyd and Sue Clarke established the Small Steps 4 Hannah Foundation in an attempt to push for law changes and educate senior high schoolers, as well as families about coercive control in relationships.
‘It is a good healing process for us and also to know that this hasn’t happened in vain,’ Sue told the ABC on Friday.
Hannah suffered years of psychological abuse and controlling behaviour from Baxter, including not allowing her to wear a bikini to the beach and creating a joint Facebook account which he closely monitored.
Helping others: Lloyd and Sue have created the Small Steps 4 Hannah Foundation to ensure other women know the less obvious warning signs of domestic violence