While Sunbathers Fled Attack, Popular Picture Shows Rescuer Dashing ‘Full Speed’ In the Direction of the Site.

Alexandra Ching, a permanent inhabitant of Bondi, views the iconic shoreline as her personal space. On that fateful Sunday evening, she, similar to other others in the area, heard loud noises ringing out across the suburb.

“Everyone did, but I considered it was daylight and you couldn't spot any lights,” she explains. Exiting her apartment, she saw people “flooding up Bondi Road”. The faces on display told her a crisis was unfolding.

Positioned on the street, speaking to a duo who had rushed up the hill in their swimwear, she became aware of someone approaching from behind. This turned out to be a lifeguard, sprinting to Bondi unshod from the nearby Tamarama beach – a distance of 1.5km – while holding a defibrillator.

“I heard someone say ‘excuse me’, and when I spun around I spotted this streak in blue,” she recounts. “He was zooming past. It was just him moving in the path that everyone was trying to escape from, while holding that sizeable pack and without footwear … He was sprinting into something that surely every fibre in your being would instruct you to move in the reverse way.

“Without a second thought, but just fully maximum effort running.”

A Symbol of Courage In the Wake of Chaos

The photograph taken by Ching of the rescuer, since identified as Jackson Doolan, quickly spread as one of many moments of courage in the following of the terror attack.

Andy Reid, a fellow beach safety officer, noted that Doolan, known as “Jacko”, sprinted from Tamarama beach to support the remaining crew at Bondi, as well as to work with other rescuers, officers and paramedics attending to many victims.

Community Response and Solidarity

Doolan’s actions was just one of many to be shared by the local area, with the lifeguard clubhouse next to the site of the violence serving as a impromptu treatment center. It was shared that colleagues were also seen responding bravely, including entering the water to save people needing help.

Following the events, messages of gratitude flooded in. One post conveyed appreciation for the individuals who showed that “goodness will always triumph over evil”.

The team of rescuers later shared a communication, saying they were “still trying to comprehend what happened”.

“Our thanks go out to all for your thoughtful messages and encouragement. We are overwhelmed by the compassion for our personnel,” the group stated. “When ready, we will share our stories in the belief that it supports those involved.”

Council Praise

Waverley council, the governing body that oversees many permanent beach safety officers, said that the staff rose to the occasion from the second the shooting commenced right into late that night.

“We have heard so many powerful stories, but the widely-circulated photo of Jackson Doolan, sprinting from Tamarama to Bondi with a medical device so he could help assist the injured is incredible,” commented a local official.

“These individuals show dedication every day in maintaining the safety of our internationally renowned shores protected for the public, but what we witnessed on that day should be commended.

“During this time of sorrow and grapple with the terror of this heinous tragedy, I think it is crucial that we reflect on just how much light we have witnessed in the face of such hatred.”