The man hailed as a hero for tackling a gunman during the deadly Bondi Beach terror attack has asked for prayers from his hospital bed, as doctors fear he could lose an arm from his injuries.
A Father's Heroic Intervention
Ahmed al Ahmed, a 43-year-old fruit shop owner and father-of-two, was passing the popular Sydney beach on the evening of December 14th when he heard gunshots. The attack, which targeted a crowd of over 1,000 people celebrating the Jewish festival of Hanukkah, would ultimately claim 15 lives and leave at least 40 injured.
According to his family, Mr al Ahmed, who is thought to be originally from Syria, saw one of the attackers and instinctively moved to intervene. Using skills from his reported past service with police and security forces, he hid behind parked cars before charging at the assailant from behind.
He successfully tackled the gunman to the ground, seized his rifle, and aimed it back at him, forcing the attacker to retreat. In the ensuing chaos, Mr al Ahmed was shot twice. Before confronting the gunman, he told his cousin, Jozay Alkanj, to pass a message to his family: "I'm going to die — please see my family [and tell them] that I went down to save people's lives."
A Long Road to Recovery
Rushed to hospital, the courageous bystander is now facing a gruelling recovery. His cousin has confirmed that while he has undergone one surgery, more procedures are needed and there are serious concerns he may lose his arm.
In a video message from his hospital stretcher, a weary but resilient Mr al Ahmed spoke in Arabic, saying: "I went through a difficult time. God knows. Thanks be to God. Praise God for everything." He directly asked for support, adding, "You must pray for us. May God heal you and bring you home safely."
His immigration lawyer, Sam Issa, told the Sydney Morning Herald that his client is "not well at all" and is "riddled with bullets," describing him as a hero who is "struggling at the moment." Despite the severe pain, which is "starting to take a toll on him," Mr Issa stated that Ahmed al Ahmed "doesn't regret what he did" and would "do it again."
An Outpouring of Support and Recognition
The public response to his bravery has been swift and significant. A GoFundMe page set up to aid his recovery raised more than AUS $1 million (approximately £496,694) within just hours of the attack.
His actions have also drawn high-level recognition. Chris Minns, the Premier of New South Wales, visited Mr al Ahmed in hospital, calling him a "real-life hero" who "no doubt saved countless lives when he disarmed a terrorist at enormous personal risk."
His father, Mohamed Fatelh al Ahmed, expressed immense pride, telling ABC Australia: "My son is a hero, he served with the police and in the central security forces, and he has the impulse to protect people... I feel pride and honour, because my son is a hero of Australia."
The attack, allegedly carried out by 50-year-old Sajid Akram and his 24-year-old son Naveed, is considered one of the deadliest on the Jewish community in Australia's history. Sajid died at the scene, while Naveed was critically injured and remains in police custody.
As the community mourns the victims, including Holocaust survivor Alex Kleytman and Rabbi Eli Schlanger, the courage of civilians like Ahmed al Ahmed stands as a powerful testament to selflessness in the face of pure evil. Doctors remain hopeful he will make a full recovery.
