Brother Of Man Who Died At Bataclan: 'I Want Rock And Roll' For Him
Among the 129 people killed in the Paris terror attacks last Friday was a newlywed whose wife remains in critical condition; the cousin of a soccer player on the French national soccer team; and Cedric Mauduit, 41, a government manager in charge of modernizing the Calvados region of Normandy.
His young brother, Matthieu Mauduit, said that Cedric's passion was for rock and roll, and that he had an extensive vinyl record collection stacked on 7-foot-long shelves at his home in the seaside community of Lion-sur-Mer.
The younger Mauduit, who is 37, said he and his lone sibling shared many things, although not an interest in Eagles of Death Metal, the rock band his older brother had gone with four friends to see at the Bataclan concert hall in Paris.
Matthieu Mauduit wants to The Rolling Stones and David Bowie to attend the funeral for his brother, Cedric, who was killed at Bataclan concert hall during the attacks in Paris.
"We were born same day, same hospital, same bed — so we are very close, even if we didn't see each other," the younger Mauduit said. "I could say everything to him and he could say everything to me, and he was my idol."
That his idol could be in the middle of the mayhem Mauduit watched unfold on television last Friday night never crossed his mind. He didn't expect him to go to Paris, given Cedric's oldest son, Antoine, was celebrating his seventh birthday the following day.
But the next morning, he had a phone call.
"Even before I knew what it was, I knew it was for my brother," he said. "I was feeling it."
It was their mother on the line. She told him Cedric was missing and wasn't answering his phone.
"I said 'OK, I'm going to Paris,' " Mauduit said. "I cried a lot, took a shower, coffee, took my car, picked up my brother's wife and went to Paris. We did not know what we'd find."
Authorities soon confirmed Cedric Mauduit was dead, as was another of the five friends who'd gone to see the concert.
"And since [then] I'm living a nightmare, permanent nightmare," Matthieu Mauduit said, his eyes still red from crying.
He said he and other relatives managed to hold it together until Antoine's birthday party was over and his friends had gone home.
Afterward, Mauduit says the adults gently told Antoine and his 3-year-old sister, Appoline, their father was gone.
But in the depth of despair, Mauduit said he had a brainstorm: To honor his brother with a personal tribute from his favorite performers, The Rolling Stones and David Bowie.
"So I wrote a post on Facebook — to my friends first," he said. "They told me 'open it to everybody,' so I did. Then someone told me, 'go on Twitter,' so I did."
The efforts are bearing some fruit, on social media at least — including on Twitter, where #RollingStonesforCedric has a small following. Intermediaries have promised to talk to the stars.
"I just want to remember happy things — and happy is music, rock and roll," Mauduit said. "I want rock and roll for my brother."
He said that he knows it's a long shot and that he has yet to hear from the performers, but his goal is to get The Stones and Bowie to attend his brother's funeral. Mauduit added he'd welcome videotaped tributes, too.
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Transcript
AUDIE CORNISH, HOST:
Victims of the attacks included a newlywed groom whose bride remains critically injured and the cousin of a soccer player on the French national team. Another was a local government department head from outside to Paris who loved rock music. NPR's Soraya Sarhaddi Nelson reports from Normandy that his brother is hoping for a musical tribute.
SORAYA SARHADDI NELSON, BYLINE: Matthieu Mauduit and his brother Cedric who was four years older shared many things.
MATTHIEU MAUDUIT: We born the same day, same hospital, same bed, so we were very close even if we didn't see each other. And I could say everything to him, and he could say everything to me. And he was my idol.
NELSON: Cedric Mauduit was killed at Bataclan concert hall in a hail of bullets and bombs in the terror attacks that have shaken the world.
MAUDUIT: I saw the event on TV Friday night, and I couldn't imagine that my brother was there because it was his son's birthday the next day. And the next day, in the morning, I had a phone call. Even before I knew what it was, I knew it was for my brother. I was feeling it.
NELSON: It was their mother on the line. She told him Cedric was missing and wasn't answering his phone.
MAUDUIT: I said OK. I'm going to Paris. I cried a lot, took a shower, coffee, took my car, picked up my brother's wife and went to Paris. We did not know what we'd find.
NELSON: We soon learned the 41-year-old was dead, as was another of the five friends who'd gone to see a rock concert, Matthieu Mauduit says.
MAUDUIT: And since, I'm living a nightmare, a permanent nightmare.
NELSON: He says he hasn't stopped crying and barely sleeps. But Mauduit says in the depth of his despair, he had a brainstorm to honor his brother who was a passionate rock music fan with a personal tribute from his favorite performers, the Rolling Stones and David Bowie.
MAUDUIT: So I wrote a post on Facebook to my friends first. They told me, open it to everybody, so then I did. Then somebody told me, go on Twitter, so I did. And then let's call some peoples.
NELSON: And the efforts are bearing fruit, with #rollingstonesforcedric gaining a following on Twitter. Intermediaries have promised to talk to the stars.
MAUDUIT: I just want to remember happy things, and happy is music, rock 'n' roll. I want rock 'n' roll for my brother.
NELSON: He says he knows it's a long shot and hasn't heard from the performers yet, but he hopes the Stones and Bowie will attend his brother's funeral, adding he'd be happy with a videotaped tribute too. Soraya Sarhaddi Nelson, NPR News in Rouen, France. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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