‘Tough kid’: Friends rally around Ashley Wildey, grieving partner of Dawn Singleton

Friends, family and colleagues have rallied around police officer Ashley Wildey, whose fiance Dawn Singleton was among the victims of last Saturday’s Bondi massacre.

The heartbroken police officer fiance of Dawn Singleton has been described as “a tough kid” whose colleagues hoped would stay in the force.

Friends, family and colleagues have been rallying around Sydney police officer Ashley Wildey, who was soon to marry the love of his life.

Ms Singleton, 25, who is the daughter of advertising guru John Singleton, had been shopping for their wedding at Westfield Bondi Junction last Saturday when Joel Cauchi took her life.

A close friend of the Wildey family said the young officer was still struggling to come to terms with the tragic events, but was being supported around-the-clock by his police colleagues who had barely left his side.

Mr Wildey had also been speaking with Ms Singleton’s mum Julie, who was grieving the loss of her daughter, the friend said.

Dawn Singleton and her NSW police officer partner Ash Wildey Picture: Facebook

“The police should be commended,” the friend said. “His police mates have been very, very good – the boys brought around hamburgers, chips and Coke and have stayed with him, talking and making sure he knows he is supported.

“They don’t want to lose him. He is very good at his job. It’s too early to say now, but I think he’ll probably stay in the job. He has always wanted to help people. He is young, and I know he has helped crack some cases already. The police won’t want to lose him.”

The couple were childhood sweethearts and planning their wedding.

Mr Wildey was on call when he learned of an incident unfolding in the shopping centre where his fiancee had gone to buy things for their upcoming wedding.

The couple had sent out save-the-date cards to guests for their wedding, which had been booked at a venue in Arcadia in Sydney’s northwest.

Ms Singleton, had just bought her wedding dress, while the same wedding planners Kyle Sandilands had used had been hired.

Mr Wildey made several frantic calls to his fiancee as he rushed to the centre where attending officers were forced to relay the worst possible news to their colleague.

“He knew she was there, that she had gone shopping,” the friend said.

“They were calling her frantically.”

Julie Martin with daughter Dawn when she was a newborn.

On Wednesday, Mr Wildey — with the support of his friends, colleagues and family — visited Julie Singleton to pay his respects.

“He’ll get through this. He is a tough kid,” the friend said.

Ms Singleton was one of six people stabbed to death last Saturday afternoon by 40-year-old Cauchi, before he was shot dead by NSW Police Inspector Amy Scott.

Describing the police force as “a family”, Police Minister Yasmin Catley said officers were wrapping their arms around each other to get through the trauma of the past few days.

Police Minister Yasmin Catley. Picture: Gaye Gerard

“Not a day goes by that I am not filled with pride and admiration for the NSW Police,” she said.

“We’ve seen the very best of our police this week. These officers rushed towards danger and never wavered in their duty to protect the public.

“I know there are officers who are deeply affected by this trauma. The NSW Police is a family within themselves, they are wrapping their arms around each other and ensuring they have all the support they need. I encourage every officer who needs it to reach out.”

Friends and community members have also rallied around the grieving relatives of Bondi’s other victims, including architect Jade Young who said the pain they were feeling after Saturday was “indescribable”.

“The entire family is still in shock and coming to terms with the loss of Jade,” the family said in a statement.

In a separate statement, the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community said its thoughts and prayers were with the family and friends of security guard Faraz Tahir, who had been planning to celebrate his 31st birthday later this month.

It had been Mr Tahir’s first day on the job.

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Originally published as ‘Tough kid’: Friends rally around Ashley Wildey, grieving partner of Dawn Singleton