When Sunbathers Ran From Danger, Widely-Shared Picture Captures Rescuer Sprinting ‘All Out’ To the Site.
Alexandra Ching, a lifelong resident of Bondi, describes the iconic shoreline as her back yard. On that fateful Sunday evening, she, like many others in the area, noticed loud noises echoing across the neighbourhood.
“That was the initial assumption, but I reasoned it was still too bright and no one could see them,” Ching states. Stepping out of her residence, she observed people “pouring up Bondi Road”. Their expressions on display signaled trouble had occurred.
While standing on the road, talking to a duo who had hurried up the slope still dripping wet, she noticed someone approaching at her rear. The person was a rescuer, sprinting in the direction of Bondi barefoot from the nearby Tamarama beach – about 1.5km – while carrying a life-saving kit.
“I caught a voice saying ‘excuse me’, and when I spun around I spotted this streak in blue,” she recounts. “He was zooming past. He was alone heading in the opposite way that all the others was trying to escape from, and hauling that sizeable pack and unshod … He moved at something that undoubtedly every fibre in your being would tell you to move in the reverse way.
“Absolutely no pause, but just fully maximum effort sprinting.”
A Powerful Moment of Courage During Crisis
The image that Ching snapped of the rescuer, later named as Jackson Doolan, quickly spread as one of many moments of heroism in the wake of the terror attack.
Andy Reid, another lifeguard, noted that Doolan, referred to as “Jacko”, hurried from Tamarama beach to assist the remaining crew at Bondi, as well as to aid emergency personnel, law enforcement and medical teams caring for numerous victims.
Local Reaction and Assistance
Doolan’s actions was just one of many to emerge from the community, with the patrol base next to the location of the incident becoming a makeshift medical station. It was shared that other team members were also seen helping out, for instance going into the ocean to assist people needing help.
In the days after the tragedy, comments of gratitude were shared. An online statement expressed appreciation for the responders who showed that “kindness will always overcome hatred”.
The team of rescuers issued a message, saying they were “still trying to comprehend what transpired”.
“Thank you all for your thoughtful sentiments and solidarity. We are deeply moved by the care directed at our personnel,” the group stated. “In time, we will tell our tales in the belief that it helps those involved.”
Official Recognition
Waverley council, the governing body that oversees many permanent beach safety officers, said that the staff rose to the occasion from the moment the violence began right into late that night.
“There have been so many emotional stories, but the viral photo of Jackson Doolan, running from Tamarama to Bondi with a AED so he could help save lives is extraordinary,” commented a mayor.
“Our lifeguards show selflessness every day in ensuring our world-famous shores secure for visitors, but what we saw on that day should be commended.
“As we grieve and process the terror of this heinous terrorist attack, I think it is crucial that we consider just how much positivity we have observed in the presence of such hatred.”