'Her nightly prayer is that she won't wake up': Lukas Strasser-Hird's family details grief in court

His voice shaking with anger and grief, Dale Hird looked at his son's killers and described the anguish and torment caused by the trio the day they swarmed, beat and stabbed Lukas Strasser-Hird to death.

"I truly died inside and yet I still have to live," said Hird. "Sunny days are grey, grey days are greyer."

Strasser-Hird, 18, died in hospital after he was attacked in an alley at Second Street and 10th Avenue S.W. on Nov.23, 2013.

• Lukas Strasser-Hird murder trial verdicts delivered in Calgary nightclub stabbing

FranzCabrera andAssmar Shlah were found guilty by a juryofsecond-degree murderconvictions that come withan automatic life sentence with no chance of parole for 10 to 25 years whileJochPouk was found guilty of the lesser charge of manslaughter.

You aren't real men, that's for sure, but for damn sure you'll be punished like real men- Victim's father DaleHird

Ten of Strasser-Hird's friends and family wrote statements for the court, detailing how his death affected them. They were read aloud on Monday, the first day of the trio's sentencing hearing.

The teen's mother said her son wanted to become a trauma surgeon.

"I live with a broken heart," said Audrey Strasser.

"He was my only child and the love of my life."

It's believed Strasser-Hird was involved in two altercations at a Calgary nightclub before his death.

There was evidence presented at the trial that the initial fight began when Lukas spoke out after a racial slur was spouted by one of his would-be attackers.

Bouncers then escorted him out the back of the club, where a group of thugs including the trio found guilty swarmed and attacked.

'Hang on, Lukas'

Strasser-Hird was rushed to hospital the morning he was attacked. His paternal grandmother, Deborah Hird described watching her son Dale beg the boyto stay alive long enough for his mother to say goodbye.

"You can do it, your mom will be here soon, hang on Lukas," Dale said to the teenagerwho lay unconscious, beaten and bloodied in a hospital bed.

But Audrey Strasser was six hours away when she got the call that her son was in hospital and didn't make it in time. Lukas had taken his last breath just minutes before.

Instead, Audrey described kissing his swollen face, lifting the sheet that covered her son'sbodyand running her fingers over the wounds doctors had tried to fix in surgery.

The 18-year-old's death left his parents so distraught, they became "shells" of their former selves, according to both of Lukas' grandmothers.

Mother 'shut out the world'

EstelaStrasseraffectionately called her grandson "Lukie" and said despite his commitmentto working out, he always made time for tea, cookies andherhomemade cabbage rolls.

Soon after the teen's death, Audrey broke all ties with Calgary, sold her home and moved to Bolivia, where her mother and father wereliving.

"She has remained in Bolivia far away from anything that reminds her of what happened to Lukas," wrote Estela Strasser.

"She has shut out the world and her nightly prayer isthat she won't wake up to face another day knowing that it would be without the most important thing in her life her only child."

The boy's father, Dale Hird, suffered similarly.

"I not only lost my first grandchild, but I watched the light go out of my son's eyes at that moment," wrote Debra Hird.

During the grief-stricken statements, the three killers listened from the prisoners' box with no discernable emotions.

'You aren't real men'

A fourth man, JordanLiao,was found not guilty of second-degree murder.

NathanGervaiswascharged with first-degree murder, but disappeared weeks before the trial began while on bail. He remains at large.

Court of Queen's Bench Justice Glen Poelmanwill hear sentencing arguments next Monday.

"You aren't real men, that's for sure, but for damn sure you'll be punished like real men," Dale said to Cabrera, Pouk and Shlah. "With your convictions, we can maybe, just maybe, breathe a bit."

"We'll see you at your parole hearing. I'll be there."