From NY Post.com (Dec. 15):
Ahmed el Ahmed, a 43-year-old father of two from Syria, was seen in a heart-stopping video as he crept up and tackled one of the father-son terrorists who killed 15 people Sunday night at a Hanukkah celebration at the popular beach just outside of Sydney, Australia.
Just before rushing in, the hero predicted he would pay the ultimate price for his bravery, a cousin, Jozay Alkanj, told the Sydney Morning Herald.
“He said, ‘I’m going to die – please see my family [and tell them] that I went down to save people’s lives’,” the cousin said.
El Ahmed was hit at least five times, and could even lose an arm, according to Sam Issa, the immigration lawyer who helped get him citizenship in 2022, six years after he had moved Down Under.
“He’s not well at all. He’s riddled with bullets,” Issa told the Sydney outlet after visiting him in the hospital Monday. “Our hero is struggling at the moment.”
His heroism remains even as “the pain has started to take a toll on him,” the lawyer stressed.
“He doesn’t regret what he did. He said he’d do it again,” Issa said.
Still, “He’s a lot worse than expected,” the lawyer said of his “humble” client and friend. “He has lost a lot of blood.”
More than 25,000 people have raised the equivalent of just over $1 million for Ahmed on GoFundMe — with the biggest single donation from US billionaire Bill Ackman, who gave the equivalent of nearly $66,500.
“No one expects to be a hero, but when the moment came, he was,” the fundraiser’s organizers wrote.
The fruit stand owner was photographed with his entire left arm bandaged as he was visited by New South Wales Premier Chris Minns at St George Hospital in Sydney on Monday.
“Ahmed is a real-life hero,” Minn said. “His incredible bravery no doubt saved countless lives when he disarmed a terrorist at enormous personal risk.”
Ahmed’s father, Mohamed, also spoke of his pride at his son preventing more bloodshed. [read more]
Hero, indeed. He just reacted without hesitation without thinking about his own safety. He instinctively knew the right course of action to save lives. God speed his recovery.
Other articles on the terrorist attack:
- ‘It was a matter of conscience’: Ahmed al-Ahmed’s family reveal why he risked his life to disarm alleged Bondi shooter
- Bondi Beach hero helped disarm terrorist before police mistakenly shot him: report
- Heroic detective killed Bondi Beach terror suspect with ‘once-in-a-lifetime shot’ from over 100 feet away
- Australia Police See Evidence of Islamic State–Inspired Terror in Bondi Massacre
- Australia Doesn’t Have A Gun Problem, It Has An Islamist Problem
- There’s No Evidence Australia’s Strict Gun Control Laws Are Effective
- Why the Australia beach shooting should terrify EVERYONE [video]
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