Lisa Wilkinson: Interview with siege victim Tori Johnson’s partner was ‘the toughest I’ve ever done’
TODAY host Lisa Wilkinson held back tears as she presented her emotional interview with siege hero Tori Johnson’s partner. She tells news.com.au how it came about.
THE entire nation shared in the grief of the family of Sydney siege victim Tori Johnson and his partner Thomas Zinn, but throughout the past few days Today host Lisa Wilkinson has been closer than most.
Following her emotional interview with the heroic cafe manager’s partner as he spoke publicly for the first time about his loss and thanked the nation for the overwhelming support, Wilkinson told news.com.au how “the toughest interview I’ve ever done” came about.
MORE: Sydney siege victim Tori Johnson’s partner Thomas Zinn speaks out
“A dear friend of mine is very close to Tori’s family,” she said.
“As this has unfolded throughout the week I’ve been very aware of what’s happening behind the scenes.”
The popular co-host said Thomas — along with Tori’s mother Rowena who accompanied him to Nine’s studio yesterday — was very keen to thank Australia and send a message to the family of Katrina Dawson who was also killed in the Martin Place siege.
“I offered that if he would like to come into Nine and record a message to Australia,” she said.
“He offered to bring in some photos that he could show of Tori just so we could get to know Tori a little bit more.”
Thomas and Tori met in college and had been together for 14 years. Speaking on Today, Thomas shared Tori’s love for architecture and the couple’s desire to marry.
Thomas described his “soulmate” as a humble and generous man, and Wilkinson said the man suffering the greatest loss of all came across “in exactly the same light”.
“Just a beautiful sensitive man,” she said of Thomas.
“This was a man who thought he was in the process of spending the rest of his life with his partner and the act of a madman cut all of the dreams they had together short.
“This is a couple who had been together for 14 years. They met at college. They hoped one day when the laws allowed it that they would be able to get married.”
As the emotional interview wrapped up on Thursday afternoon, it ended with an embrace between Thomas and Tori’s mother Rowena that Wilkinson “thought was going to last into eternity”.
“Rowie and Thomas are very very close,” she said.
“She was just so proud of Thomas, both what he said about Tori and just getting through it.”
Wilkinson held back tears as she presented the interview this morning in which Thomas thanked those who had laid flowers at Martin Place.
“Tori loves flowers and this is probably the most beautiful thing,” he said.
“I’m sure he can see them.”
Thomas shared a message of support to Katrina Dawson’s family, and a message of thanks to Australia.
“We would like to extend our love and condolences to Katrina’s family — to her children, her husband and loved ones. We stand beside you through this difficult time. We also send our love to the other hostages and their families. We hope that they can recover swiftly from this traumatic experience,” he said.
“We also want to thank the many people who have supported us and continue to stand by us through this tragedy; from close friends to complete strangers -the outpouring of love, kindness and generosity has been overwhelming.”
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