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Chaos and courage at Bondi Beach
When gunfire erupted at Sydney's Bondi Beach on Sunday during Hanukkah celebrations, panic engulfed the crowd. Among the terrified were Wayne and Jessica, both frantically searching for their missing three-year-olds. What unfolded over the next 10 minutes would leave an indelible mark on Australia's history-and reveal extraordinary acts of bravery.
The moment that saved a child
Wayne shielded his eldest daughter with his body, his mind racing with fear for his missing toddler, Gigi. Meanwhile, Jessica spotted a little girl in a rainbow skirt-alone, crying for her parents. Despite being pregnant and unable to protect her own child, Jessica instinctively covered Gigi with her body, whispering, "I've got you." The two felt a woman nearby collapse after being shot.
"We had to wait all that time for the gunshots to stop. It felt like eternity."
Wayne, survivor
When the shooting finally ceased, Wayne, convinced Gigi was dead, searched through the carnage. Then he saw the familiar rainbow skirt-his daughter, alive but bloodstained, still cradled under Jessica. His son, too, was found unharmed.
"She said she's just a mother and she acted with mother instincts. [But] she's a superhero. We'll be indebted to her for the rest of our lives."
Wayne
Ordinary people, extraordinary bravery
Police declared the attack, which killed 15 people-including a 10-year-old girl-as Australia's deadliest terror incident. The gunmen, reportedly inspired by Islamic State (IS), left dozens injured. Yet the toll could have been far worse without the heroism of bystanders.
Ahmed al Ahmed: The shopkeeper who disarmed a gunman
A Syrian-Australian shop owner, Ahmed al Ahmed, was having coffee nearby when the shooting began. His father told BBC Arabic that Ahmed "saw the victims, the blood, women and children lying on the street, and then acted." Footage shows him lunging from behind a car to wrestle a gun from one attacker. Shot multiple times, he may lose an arm.
Reuven Morrison: The man who fought back
Reuven Morrison was captured on video hurling objects at the same gunman moments after Ahmed disarmed him. His daughter, Sheina Gutnik, told CBS News her father "is not one to lie down. He is one to run towards danger." Morrison was fatally shot after throwing bricks at the attacker.
The Gurmans: A final act of defiance
The first victims, Boris and Sofia Gurman, were seen on dashcam footage grappling with a gunman for his weapon. When they succeeded, the attacker retrieved another gun from his car and killed them. Their son Alex eulogized them at their funeral, calling them "heroes" who "showed the depth of who they were by facing those moments with courage, selflessness, and love."
More stories of survival and sacrifice
Fourteen-year-old Chaya was shot in the leg while shielding two young children from gunfire. Police officer Jack Hibbert, just four months into the job, was struck in the head and shoulder but continued aiding festivalgoers until he collapsed. He faces life-changing injuries but is expected to survive.
Lifeguard Jackson Doolan sprinted barefoot from a neighboring beach, carrying critical medical supplies. Others used red-and-yellow lifesaving boards as stretchers, while one lifeguard dove back into the surf to rescue panicked swimmers. Student Levi Xu, 31, credited lifeguard Rory Davey with dragging him and a friend to safety before rushing back to help others.
A nation responds
Thousands of Australians rushed to donate blood, shattering previous records. Off-duty first responders traveled from as far as two hours away to assist, while healthcare workers flooded hospitals to treat the wounded. New South Wales Health Minister Ryan Park described scenes of staff volunteering en masse: "Just coming into the station and saying 'I'm ready to go.'"
"Normally on a Sunday night, there is staff available to run one operating theatre [at St Vincent's Hospital]. There were eight operating at once."
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese
State Premier Chris Minns praised the "amazing people" who "showed their true colors" amid the violence. Wayne, attending the funeral of 10-year-old victim Matilda, reflected on the bravery that prevented even greater loss: "There could have been so much more devastation without the bravery of [these] people."
