Steven Tougher’s family visits floral tribute after paramedic stabbed outside Campbelltown McDonald’s

There were emotional scenes at the McDonald’s where paramedic Steven Tougher was stabbed, as his family and loved ones found strength in each other to visit the place where he was killed. Read the heartbreaking words his dad shared.

The family of a paramedic and young father who tragically died has found the strength to visit the scene for the first time where he was brutally stabbed in his own ambulance at a McDonald’s restaurant in Sydney’s southwest.

Steven Tougher was killed at Campbelltown McDonald’s while on a meal break on Friday morning, when a man allegedly pulled open the door to his ambulance and stabbed him.

Police arrested Jordan Fineanganofo near the scene and he has been charged with murder.

The 21-year-old remains in the mental health unit of Long Bail Jail on remand.

On Wednesday, 20 family members and loved ones gathered at the very same place Mr Tougher lost his life where mourners had built a floral tribute to the beloved paramedic.

Family members hugged each other and cried as they took turns to add their bouquets to the wall of flowers outside the McDonalds. With arms around each other’s waists and holding each other’s hand they stood in silence to mourn the loss of their son, brother, husband, and friend.

Steven’s wife, Madison, mother Gillian, dad, Jeff, and sister Jessica during a press conference after a visit to the floral tribute. Picture: NCA NewsWire/ Flavio Brancaleone.

Paramedic Steven Tougher (right) was fatally stabbed outside a McDonald’s in Sydney's southwest.

It’s the first time his father Jeff, mother Gillian, sister Jessica, and wife Maddie have visited the scene since the horrific incident that shook NSW. The family arrived on a bus and supported each other as they laid flowers.

Mr Tougher was newly married and expecting his second child with his wife due to give birth in just weeks.

Jeff and Jessica Tougher embrace each other at the floral wall. Picture: NCA NewsWire/ Flavio Brancaleone

He had only been working in his dream job as a paramedic for the past 12 months.

After the family and friends laid flowers Steven’s dad Jeff made a short statement while he was supported by Steven’s mum, sister and wife.

Jeff said his son touched the lives of everyone he met and he was passionate about nursing and paramedicine.

“It‘s ironic that in his death he touched so many more,” he said. “From the day he was born, he wanted to become an ambo. Everything else was a distraction, even school. My chest fills with pride, when I think of what he has achieved, but it also fills with sorrow for what we have lost.”

Steven Tougher.

Jeff said his son’s sense of right or wrong was “paramount” and would go out of his way to help others.

“Stephen was the sunshine in every room,” he said. “The communities’ lost a real member who fought for us and that’s a loss for everybody … ambulance, paramedics, nurses, teachers, firemen, police are a special breed always putting everybody before themselves and Stephen was no different. This can’t be allowed to be forgotten.”

Steven’s parents lay flowers. Picture: NCA NewsWire/ Flavio Brancaleone,

Jeff said everyone was calling his son a hero, and while Steven would pretend to be humbled, he would love it.

“That was the boy he was, always a smile, never a frown,” Jeff said.

When Jeff spoke of the efforts of medical staff and passers-by who risked their lives to help Steve, the family with him broke down in tears.

Jeff said he was in discussion with the state government to introduce changes under Steven’s Law which would see harsher penalties for those who commit crimes against emergency personnel on the job.

“I hope that the loss of Stephen will not be for nothing, and that the senseless act can be a catalyst for change, to support better working conditions for his brothers and sisters in blue,” he said.

More than $450,000 has been raised for the family through a GoFundMe page that was created after Steven’s death.