Oscar Pistorius, the double amputee Olympian, apologized Monday, to slain girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp's family for killing her.
An emotional Pistorius told the Steenkamp family in the Pretoria court that he was "trying to protect her." He also said that he got nightmares after the incident and would wake up smelling Steenkamp's blood.
"I want to start off by tendering an apology," he said. "I wake up every morning and you're the first people I think of, the first people I pray for ... I was simply trying to protect Reeva. I can promise that when she went to bed that night she felt loved," the 27-year-old paralympian said, reports the New York Daily News.
A tearful Pistorius said he could feel the pain of their loss and there was not a day when he did not think about about the Steenkamps.
"I wake up every morning and you're the first people I think of, the first people I pray for. I can't imagine the pain and the sorrow and the emptiness that I've caused you and your family," he said, reports BBC.
At the trial Pisrorius described his pain, remorse and terror after the tragic incident to the court. Pistorius said he took antidepressants and sleeping pills to handle the tragic death of his girlfriend. He told Judge Thokozile Masipa that his condition was so bad that one night he hid himself in a closet in panic after waking up suddenly and called his sister.
"I climbed into a cupboard and I phoned my sister to come and sit by me, which she did for a while," said.
He even emphasized on the religious beliefs that he shared with Steenkamph. The athlete also said that it was a blessing that he met Steenkamp and maintained he always wanted a Christian partner, according to Daily News. "We would pray about everything," Pistorius claimed. "We would pray about my training, before we would eat."
Judge Masipa told Pistorius that he seemed to be too exhausted to continue the testimony and he could carry it on Tuesday.
All this while Steenkamp's mother, June, sat impassive in the crowded courtroom. Pistorius's family was overwhelmed and broke down several times.
According to the state prosecutors, Pistorius and the 29-year-old FHM model had an argument and in a fit of rage the athlete shot Steenkamp dead on Valentine's night last year. But, Pistorius has maintained his innocence since the beginning and said he mistook his girlfriend for an intruder so he fired shots in defense.
If convicted, Pistorius could get 25 years in jail.
