In a moment that defined courage amidst chaos, a Sydney lifeguard sprinted barefoot towards a terror attack while others fled, carrying life-saving equipment. The image of Jackson Doolan's desperate run from Tamarama to Bondi beach has become a symbol of the bravery shown during Sunday's mass shooting.
The Sprint Towards Danger
As pops echoed through Bondi on Sunday evening, many residents, including local Alexandra Ching, initially mistook them for fireworks. The reality became chillingly clear as people began streaming up Bondi Road, their faces etched with panic. Amid the fleeing crowd, Ching witnessed an extraordinary sight: a flash of blue as a lifeguard ran full-tilt in the opposite direction.
That lifeguard was Jackson Doolan. Hearing the commotion from his post at neighbouring Tamarama beach, approximately 1.5 kilometres away, he grabbed a defibrillator and ran barefoot towards Bondi. "He's running at something that surely every fibre in your being would tell you to go in the other direction," Ching recounted. "Just no hesitation, but just fully pedal to the metal sprinting."
Lifeguards on the Frontline
Doolan, known affectionately as 'Jacko', was racing to back up his team at Bondi, where the lifeguard clubhouse was swiftly transformed into a makeshift hospital. His colleague, Andy Reid, later praised the team's actions, writing on Instagram: "I'm grateful we live in a world where you exist to show that kindness will always conquer evil."
The lifeguards, employed by Waverley Council to patrol Bondi, North Bondi, and Tamarama, worked alongside surf life-savers, police, and paramedics to treat dozens of victims. In a statement, the Bondi lifeguards said they were "still trying to comprehend what occurred" but were overwhelmed by the public's compassion.
A Community's Response to Horror
Doolan's story was one of many acts of heroism that night. He later shared a video of a colleague, Rory Davey, rushing into the ocean to rescue two people while shots were still being fired. On his own Instagram, Doolan posted a simple message: "Appreciate all the messages. I'm safe and all of the lifeguards are safe. Speechless. Well done to everyone involved in helping out."
Waverley Mayor, Will Nemesh, commended the lifeguards' remarkable selflessness. "What we saw on Sunday night should be commended and celebrated," he stated. "While we mourn and come to terms with the horror of this brutal and barbaric terrorist attack, I think it is important that we reflect on just how much good we have seen in the face of such evil."
The viral photograph of Jackson Doolan's sprint now stands as a powerful testament to the first responders who ran towards danger during the Bondi terror attack, embodying a profound sense of duty in the face of unimaginable terror.
