This was published 4 months ago
‘Never make sense to me’: Partner of Bondi Junction victim opens up
By Riley Walter
The day Daniel Flanagan lost his partner and the mother of his child in the horror Bondi Junction stabbings still doesn’t make sense to him.
And it never will, he says.
Speaking publicly for the first time since his partner Ashlee Good’s death in the April 13 attack, Flanagan said nothing would ever dull the pain of his loss as he thanked donors who have helped raise almost $850,000 for him and baby daughter Harriet, who survived Joel Cauchi’s senseless acts of violence.
“The overwhelming support, kindness, and generosity we’ve received in the wake of our unimaginable loss has been beyond words,” Flanagan posted to the GoFundMe launched to support the pair.
“The day our family of three became a family of two will never make sense to me, but countless people – including every single one of you who wrote messages and donated through this page – have shown me that while tragic things do unfortunately happen, there is more good in this world, than bad.”
Good, 38, was killed in the attack but managed to thrust Harriet, who was just nine months old at the time, into the arms of two male shoppers in a desperate bid to save her child after Cauchi stabbed them both.
The six people killed also included bride-to-be Dawn Singleton, 25; artist Pikria Darchia, 55; architect Jade Young, 47; Chinese economics student Yixuan Cheng, 27; and Westfield security guard Faraz Tahir, 30.
Cauchi, a Queensland man, was shot and killed by NSW Police Inspector Amy Scott.
“I also want to take this opportunity to share my heartfelt and deepest condolences to the other families, friends and communities dealing with their own loss and trauma from the events that unfolded in April,” Flanagan said.
“Our lives will never be the same, and I wish every one of you your own strength and hope you’re getting the support required to navigate such incomprehensible and difficult times.”
Flanagan said the kindness and generosity people had shown him and his daughter would never be forgotten.
“From the bottom of my heart,” he said.
“Thank you.”
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