The Syrian-born hero who bravely confronted a gunman during the recent terror attack at Bondi Beach in Sydney has been presented with a staggering $2.5 million cheque, donated by tens of thousands of people from across the globe.
A Heartwarming Hospital Surprise
In a moving scene captured on video from his hospital bed, father-of-two Ahmed Al-Ahmed was handed the life-changing sum. The funds were raised by 43,000 individuals worldwide who sought to honour his extraordinary act of bravery. His humble reaction upon receiving the cheque was to ask, "I deserve it?" to which the presenter firmly replied, "Every penny."
A Message of Peace and Unity
From his hospital bed, Al-Ahmed shared a profound message for the tens of thousands of donors and the wider public. He called for unity and compassion, stating his actions were driven purely from the heart. "To stand with each other, all human beings and forget everything bad, behind the back, and keep going to save life. Save lives," he said. "When I do save the people, I do it from the heart."
The video of the presentation deeply moved viewers on social media. One person on X declared, "What a man. What a hero. That guy deserves a statue," while others unanimously agreed he deserved every cent of the donation.
Recalling the Day of the Attack
Ahmed Al-Ahmed recalled the peaceful scene at Bondi Beach just moments before the alleged attackers, 50-year-old Sajid Akram and his 24-year-old son Naveed Akram, opened fire on a Jewish celebration. "It was a nice day, everyone enjoying, celebrating with their kids, woman, man, teenager," he remembered. "Everyone was happy... they deserve to enjoy and it's their right."
He concluded his thoughts with a passionate defence of his adopted country, saying, "This country (is the) best country in the world... We're not going to stand and keep watching, enough is enough. God protect Australia. Aussie, Aussie, Aussie."
