Ahmed Al Ahmed, the man hailed worldwide as the Bondi Beach hero, has broken his silence after disarming one of the gunmen in the Hanukkah massacre.
He's now recovering in style inside a $1,250-a-night penthouse suite at Sydney's Crown Casino, per the Daily Mail.
Al Ahmed is recuperating following major surgery after taking multiple gunshots while bravely tackling one of the attackers.
Al Ahmed risked everything to save innocent lives, and now, the people of Sydney have shown their gratitude.
“My target was just to take the gun from him”
On December 14, the father-of-two ran toward danger when 50-year-old Sajid Akram opened fire at a Hanukkah celebration at Bondi Beach.
Al Ahmed wrestled a shotgun from Akram, while the gunman’s son, Naveed, allegedly carried out the massacre that killed 15 and injured dozens more.
In the chaos, Mr Al Ahmed was shot several times - but managed to disarm Akram in a split-second act of bravery caught on camera.
“I did not worry about anything,” he said in an interview with Australian CBS News journalist Anna Coren, set to air overnight.
“My target was just to take the gun from him, and to stop him from killing a human being - and not killing innocent people.”
The powerful interview was filmed inside his luxury Crown Towers suite in Barangaroo, where he is now recovering with family by his side.
He still wears a sling on his left arm after undergoing surgery to remove a bullet and repair nerve damage.
“I still feel sorry for the lost”
Despite being celebrated across the globe, Mr Al Ahmed says his thoughts remain with the victims.
“I know I saved lots of people's lives, innocent kids and women and men,” he said. “I know I saved lots - but I still feel sorry for the lost.”
His actions were captured on dramatic footage showing him leaping from behind a car to tackle Sajid Akram, successfully grabbing his weapon before being caught in the gunfire exchange between police and the second gunman.
“I jumped on his back, hit him,” he said.
“I hold him with my right hand and start saying a word, you know, like to warn him, drop your gun, stop doing what you're doing, and it's come all in fast.
"And emotionally, I'm doing something, which is I feel something, a power in my body, my brain.
"I don't want to see people killed in front of me, I don't want to hear his gun, I don't want to see people screaming and begging, asking for help, and that's my soul asking me to do that.”
Family reunion and long road ahead
Mr Al Ahmed’s family has flown in from around the world to support him.
His parents Mohamed and Malakeh were already visiting from overseas when the attack happened, but his siblings - scattered across Germany, Russia, and the UAE - have since been granted visas by the Australian government to join him.
A sister in Syria is still waiting for approval.
His lawyer, Sam Issa, confirmed that Al Ahmed is still facing a long recovery and could suffer lasting damage. “He has not begun to consider plans for his future because of the extent of his injuries,” he said.
Before the tragedy, Mr Al Ahmed had been preparing to sell his tobacco shop in Sydney’s Sutherland Shire. That sale was completed while he was in the hospital.
Last week, the community’s overwhelming support became financial reality when he received a $2.5 million cheque, raised from more than 43,000 donations worldwide.
On Monday, he was spotted soaking up the Sydney sunshine on the 33rd-floor balcony of his luxury suite, looking out at sweeping views of the harbour.