A sold-out Sydney Cricket Ground rose to its feet on Sunday to honour the victims and first responders of the Bondi terror attack during the final Ashes Test. The emotional tribute saw Bondi hero Ahmed al-Ahmed, his arm in a sling and hand on his heart, walk onto the pitch alongside 14-year-old Chaya Dadon, who was shot in the leg while shielding two young children.
The crowd roared as the pair, visibly moved, were joined by a group of first responders including paramedics, doctors, lifesavers and police officers, many of whom were off-duty during the attack. The names of the 15 victims were displayed on the stadium screens under the words 'forever in our hearts'. Australian players Alex Carey and Cameron Green applauded the guests as they passed.
The ground announcer expressed gratitude on behalf of the community, stating: 'Thank you everybody, thank you for sharing our gratitude for the incredible service that these individuals and many others provided.' After the national anthems, al-Ahmed and Dadon were greeted by NSW sports minister Steve Kamper and Cricket Australia chief Todd Greenberg. Retiring batter Usman Khawaja led the Australian team in shaking hands with the responders.
