Bondi Beach Hero is Recovering Well in Hospital

Ahmed al-Ahmed, who bravely disarmed one of the Bondi gunmen before being shot five times, is making good progress in a Sydney hospital.

Credit: @ChrisMinnsMP | X

In a moment of chaos and danger on 14 December, Ahmed al-Ahmed, a 44-year-old fruit shop owner, instinctively plunged forward to help disarm one of the attackers during the ghastly incident in Australia. His actions were instinctive, selfless, and taken without any regard for his own safety. In an interview with CBS News, Ahmed said he “didn’t worry about anything” except for the lives he could save. The act was caught on camera and shared around the world.

Ahmed was shot five times shortly after wrestling with one of the gunmen. Happily, he is recovering well after going through three rounds of surgery in a Sydney hospital. He also told CBS: “Everything in my heart, in my brain, everything, it’s worked just to manage to save the people’s life.”

Family members have watched over Ahmed as he has recovered and been visited by well-wishers and dignitaries, including NSW premier Chris Minns, pictured above with Ahmed. Other visitors include the Australian governor general, Sam Mostyn, who passed on personal thanks from King Charles; and David Ossip, the president of NSW’s Jewish Board of Deputies.

Unsurprisingly, his actions have been widely praised, with the Australian prime minister, Anthony Albanese, who also visited him in hospital telling him: “Your heart is strong, your courage is inspiring.”

A fundraiser for Ahmed via GoFundMe, at time of writing, has raised $2.6m.