Brighton siege apartment block owner pays tribute to Nick Hao

THE owner of the Brighton apartment block where Yacqub Khayre carried out his deadly rampage says his whole body goes cold when he thinks of the terror attack.

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THE owner of the Brighton apartment block at the centre of the bloody terror siege has spoken of his heartbreak at losing his colleague and friend Nick Hao.

Jack Chen worked alongside Mr Hao for six years at the Buckingham Serviced Apartments and said the 36-year-old was above all “a hard worker”.

“He was smart and always worked to make progress and improve the business,” Mr Chen said.

“He helped us a great deal.”

Brighton terror victim Nick Hao on his wedding day.

His distraught mother breaks down while talking to media yesterday. Picture: David Caird

Jack Chen outside the serviced apartments where the Brighton siege took place. Picture: Nicole Garmston

Mr Chen said he remembered toasting Mr Hao’s recent engagement with him and that the newlywed was “very happy”.

Speaking on behalf of his staff, Mr Chen said “all Nick’s colleagues are truly heartbroken.”

“Nick will be sadly missed by all ... Nick go well, our hearts are with you,” he said.

The horror of Monday’s terror events are still sinking in said Mr Chen.

“It’s just terrible, every time I think of it my whole body goes cold,” he said.

“I wake up and can’t sleep ... it’s like a movie.”

Mr Chen said he hoped to reopen the apartments soon and return to some kind of normal.

“We’re doing some repairs and cleaning up, but we will reopen,” he said.

The floral tributes outside the apartment block continued to grow throughout the morning as friends and strangers paid their respects to Mr Hao.

Floral tributes continue to grow outside the apartments. Picture: Nicole Garmston

A tribute to Nick at the scene. Picture: Nicole Garmston

June and Naokz Akazawa had been staying at the Brighton apartment for a month when the terror attack unfolded.

The Japanese tourists were up the road from the building when the fatal shots rang out.

“It was so scary,” said Ms Akazawa.

The pair revisited the apartment today, pausing to pray for Mr Hao and his family.

“He was so bright and always smiling,” said Ms Akazawa.

The couple said no request was too big for the hardworking employee who helped them discover a local ramen restaurant and provided them Japanese knifes for their room.

“He was a very kind man,” said Mr Akazawa.

Police revisited the apartment block today and mounted police patrolled Bay Street as part of an ongoing efforts to reassure the Brighton community of their safety.

Some flow tributes left for Mr Hao were accompanied by cards with messages written in Chinese, including “in heaven there is no killing and no terror.”

Another card read, “You were not in the wrong place at the wrong time. You were at work when a terrorist struck. Someone who should have been deported after his second crime.”

The Chinese community will host a fundraising event at Albert Park from 11:30am on Saturday.

Funds will be donated to Mr Hao’s family.

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