Sydney: The 43-year-old man from the Bondi attack Ahmed Al Ahmed, who is being hailed as a hero for disarming one of the gunmen involved in Australia’s Bondi Beach shooting, has received widespread support via a GoFundMe page launched to help him and his family during his recovery.
Ahmad suffered from two bullet wounds during the attack on Sunday, December 14, and is currently hospitalised. A digital creator, Zachery Dereniowski, initiated the donation page, inspired by his heroic act.
Titled, “Let’s change Ahmed’s life,” Dereniowski said in a Facebook post, “Yesterday, 15 lives were innocently taken in Sydney. In the middle of fear and chaos in Sydney, ONE man chose COURAGE.”
The fund has already raised more than 1 million US dollars to support his family while he is hospitalised. The donations have seen a huge outpouring with Australians and people worldwide inspired by his brave act.
GoFundMe itself took to X to assure the general public that the donations will reach the right hands.
Ahmed, a local fruit shop owner who had never handled a gun in his life, stepped in after noticing the gunman and, in an unfortunate turn of events, was injured in the attack. “He wasn’t thinking of death when he saw bullets flying in the air,” his cousin, Mustafa Al Asaad, was quoted by BBC Arabic.
His lawyer, Sam Issa, added, “He doesn’t regret what he did. He said he’d do it again. But the pain has started to take a toll on him.”
Bondi Beach attack
Two gunmen shot dead at least 11 people on Sunday at a Jewish event being held at Sydney’s Bondi Beach, Australian authorities said, declaring it a terrorist attack. One gunman was fatally shot by police, and the second was arrested.
At least 29 people were confirmed wounded, said Mal Lanyon, the police commissioner for New South Wales state, where Sydney is located. Two of those hurt were police officers.
“This attack was designed to target Sydney’s Jewish community,” the state’s Premier Chris Minns said. The massacre was declared a terrorist attack due to the event targeted and the weapons used, Lanyon said.
Hundreds had gathered for an event at Bondi Beach called Chanukah by the Sea, which was celebrating the start of the Hanukkah Jewish festival.
