‘I don’t want anybody to go through what we did’: Bondi Westfield families honour victims one year on
One year after six lives were taken in the Bondi Junction Westfield attack, families and dignitaries led by NSW Premier Chris Minns laid floral tributes in a silent and tearful memorial ceremony.
NSW
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The family of security guard Faraz Tahir each wore his Westfield name tag over their hearts as they led tributes to him and five other victims of the Bondi Junction knife attack on Sunday
One year on from schizophrenic Joel Cauchi’s frenzied attack victims and dignitaries led by NSW Premier Chris Minns laid floral tributes in a silent and tearful memorial ceremony.
“He was a hero who tried to save people,” Sheraz Tahir said of his brother who died during his first shift as a security guard. “We are all wearing his name over our hearts in his memory.”
Ashlee Good, Jade Young, Pikria Darchia, Dawn Singleton, Faraz Ahmed Tahir and Yixuan Cheng were stabbed to death by 40-year-old Cauchi in a frenzied three minutes in the bustling shopping mall on a Saturday afternoon.
Cauchi was shot dead by Police Inspector Amy Scott who was on duty nearby and ran to help. On Sunday she attended the memorial with her wife and sons Arlo, 4, and Kai, 2, and stood to attention beside NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb to salute the victims.
Mr Minns praised Inspector Scott but said she “just pushes away the attention and the praise” because she is that “humble”.
“We still live in a community, in a society where complete strangers will step in and put their own lives on the line to save someone they’ve never met before,” he said.
He said he was “shocked” by the events of a year ago that were “devastating and harrowing” for the families of the victims and those injured during Cauchi’s rampage.
The sons of Pikria Darchia, Irakli and George, also laid flowers at the temporary memory boards that will eventually be replaced with a permanent memorial.
“I hope that she is looking down at this now,” Irakli Darchia said. “I want this day to make a change – I don’t want anybody to go through what we did.”
A coronial inquest into the attack is due to start later this month and Mr Darchia said he hoped lessons on the care of mental patients in the community would be learnt. “Honestly, I miss her to this day,” he said.
Floral tributes were also laid by Australian Governor General Sam Mostyn, NSW Governor General Margaret Beazley, Police Minister Yasmin Catley, opposition leader Mark Speakman and Waverley Councillors.
Others stood quietly watching, holding each other, as the tears flowed.
Brothers Joe and Rick Tomarchio returned to the mall for the first time since Dr Ashlee Good put her daughter Harriet into their arms to save her after they had both been stabbed.
Still visibly struggling from the memories of the incident, Joe said, “We are here to pay our respects to the families and the first responders and many other brave and courageous people who helped on that day.”
Their floral tribute urged people to “always remember the courageous and brave who helped those in need. Let them be a reminder there is good in human kind. And always remembers those who will forever have memories of fear – give them hope and support until they are strong.”
Wentworth MP Allegra Spender said more needed to be done to tackle mental health issues in the community.
“What I remember and won’t forget is that there was one person who was trying to create so much chaos and how many other people showed courage and compassion on the day and ran towards danger,” she said. “I don’t think I’ll ever forget that in terms of how the community was tested.”
Originally published as ‘I don’t want anybody to go through what we did’: Bondi Westfield families honour victims one year on
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