The turbulent life of Stephen Kokologianni: The reality show, the feud, the prison and the loss of his newborn child

He was found yesterday, 20 January 2025, again at the centre of publicity, when he was shot in the area of Malades in Crete. He was the father of Priam Xydakis, the butcher who had been murdered in 2012 by his brother Stephen. Stefanos Kokologiannis was injured in the head, while an employee nearby was injured. The 78-year-old, after the attack, visited his grandchildren and in the evening was handed over to the police authorities of Heraklion. CORVERSE The incident resumed fears of rekindling the long-term feud between the two families. said it was an organized assassination attempt against his life. “ He hunted me down like a prey to kill me, ” he said. CORVERSE His participation in reality, victory and publicity Stefanos Kokologiannis became known to the general public in 2003 through his participation in the reality show of ANT1 “Mission”. His explosive personality and intense reactions made him stand out to the television audience. The big winner emerged and won 200,000 euros. He himself speaking on the show “Mednight” and Eleonora Study, five years ago, had said: “I am a man of extreme situations. At some point I see the Mission trailer on TV, see mountains, see ravines and say “here we are”. I decided to sign up. I was a pure child then, I sent a photo of me and a “poor” résumé. I didn’t unfold my personality to focus the interest of the person who will read it. From what Andreas Mikroutsikos said to me after we had a little company, they were intrigued by my pedestrianness and my photograph perhaps said we don’t lose anything. Little Boy had later told me that “when you came and interviewed you, two months before the game started, we knew you would be the favourite and the winner. When I got out of the game they gave me two sacks of stuff.” While for the prize money he said: “When I declared participation I didn’t have it in my head at all, because I came from a family that was good financially, we worked a lot, both our minds and our bodies worked at the same time and I didn’t care about the prize money then. Now I’d be interested if he changed the script. My worldview has changed. Half the money I almost made presents. Take you, take you, who shouldn’t, gifts big, the rest left I helped myself, my businesses then.” The 2012 killing, the feud and the prison In 2012, the Kokologiannis family was involved in a serious case of controversy following the murder of Priam Xydakis by his brother Stefanos Kokologiannis, in the area of Prophet Elias in Heraklion Crete. Stephen was charged with attempted homicide remained in prison for 1.5 years and was acquitted in 2017. He, referring to that period, has said: “After the crime my family was stigmatized. Our local media has been butchered. Only when I was released was there a “voice” for us. I spent a year and a half in prison. I almost lost faith in God. It took us five years to prove that we are not elephants, that we are not children of a lesser God. Thank God we made it, thanks to justice. I was locked up watching my house burn on TV. At some point in prison with all that I’ve been hearing and all that bullying we’ve been receiving from local media, I went to lose my nerve. They had even come out priests, who have now revised, talked about us with hatred, and then I said, I would change my faith. Fortunately I did calm exercises, made self-criticism and managed to regroup.” I am a collector of experience, I have no regrets in my life. It’s all about character and personality. Prison is a trap. Someone can come in and come out or better or worse. I don’t think my prison character’s changed at all. I had an excellent relationship with the prisoners.” See this quote at 9:40 His personal life and tragic loss of his newborn child In his personal life, Stefanos Kokologiannis has been confronted with tensions and strife, but also with a tragic loss, when he lost his baby, just days after his birth. “I was married in 2007 and my wife gave birth then, I had married a woman who was a very remarkable man, there was a mistake made by doctors and the child died 10 days after she was born. I admit it cost me too much, I’ve never forgotten it, no matter how strong a character I said before, no matter how many times you fall, it matters how many times you get up. Have the nerve and the strength to stand up. Thank God, so far I have managed to get up from the many times I have fallen, the 48 year old confessed. His former companion had denounced him for violent behavior and excessive jealousy, arguing that he had beaten her, saying that he could not accept their separation. For his part, Stefanos Kokologiannis had denied what he had been reckoning with, and had described their relationship as disastrous.