Ahmed al-Ahmed didn’t set out to become a national hero. But in the chaos of a mass shooting on Sydney’s Bondi Beach, the 43-year-old father of two risked everything - and now the world can’t stop thanking him.
The Syrian-born tobacconist from Sutherland threw himself into the line of fire during what authorities have confirmed was a targeted terrorist attack on a Jewish Hanukkah celebration.
Fifteen people were killed, including a 10-year-old girl and a British-born rabbi, with another 40 injured.
But it could have been much worse - if not for Ahmed.
Caught on camera: The moment he became a hero
Footage from the scene shows Ahmed crouched behind a car in a white T-shirt before sprinting toward one of the shooters.
In an extraordinary act of bravery, he launched himself at the gunman from behind, locking him in a headlock and wrestling the rifle away.
“He noticed one of the armed men in a distance from him, hiding behind a tree,” said his father, Mohamed Fateh al Ahmed, per LBC. “
His father explained Ahmed had previously served with the police and security forces, adding: “My son is a hero - he served with the police and in the central security forces, and he has the impulse to protect people.”
“I deserve it?”: A heartbreaking question
In hospital recovering from surgery for bullet wounds to his arm and hand, Ahmed’s story has sparked an outpouring of admiration around the world.
A GoFundMe campaign set up in his honor went viral almost overnight, racking up tens of thousands of donations - including a jaw-dropping $100,000 from billionaire Jewish hedge fund manager Bill Ackman.
“Can someone please set up a verified [page] so we can reward him and his family,” Ackman urged online.
But when Ahmed was handed the check raised by the global fundraiser, his reaction left people shattered.
“I deserve it?” he asked quietly.
“Every penny,” the man replied.
“To stand with each other”
Despite his injuries, Ahmed’s message to the world is one of unity and peace.
“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.”
Ahmed’s father revealed he had simply gone to Bondi that day for coffee with a friend - only to find himself in the middle of a terrorist attack.
“Their lives were in danger,” he recalled. “They got there and were shocked to see armed men firing weapons at terrorists.”
NSW Premier Chris Minns was among the many public figures who praised Ahmed, calling him a “genuine hero”.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese echoed the sentiment: “We have seen Australians today run towards danger in order to help others. These Australians are heroes, and their bravery has saved lives.”
Terror in the crowd
Police have identified the shooters as a father and son duo. Authorities confirmed the incident was a terrorist attack targeting a Jewish event on the first night of Hanukkah, one of the most significant holidays in the Jewish calendar.
Australian PM Anthony Albanese condemned the "pure evil" behind the killings and said he was prepared to back tougher gun laws: “The government is prepared to take whatever action is necessary - included in that is tougher gun laws. I'm certainly up for it.”