A total of $2.5 million was presented at the hospital to Ahmed al-Ahmed, the man who was hailed as a hero by Australian society after disarming one of the perpetrators of the terrorist attack at Bondi Beach in Sydney. The amount was raised by around 43,000 people worldwide through an online campaign, as a gesture of recognition for his act.

In a video posted on social media, the moment is captured when the 42-year-old, a father of two of Syrian origin, is informed of the amount. “Do I deserve it?” he asks, visibly moved, with the person handing him the cheque replying: “Every cent.”

When asked what message he would like to send to the tens of thousands of donors, Ahmed al-Ahmed spoke about unity and solidarity. “We should stand by one another, all people, leave behind whatever is bad and move forward to save lives. To save lives,” he said from his hospital bed, adding: “When I saved those people, I did it from the heart.”

The video sparked strong emotion and a flood of comments on social media, with many users praising his humility and calling him a “hero.”

The attack took place on Sunday evening, during Hanukkah, at Bondi Beach, where hundreds of people had gathered to celebrate the first day of the Jewish holiday. Fifteen people were killed by gunfire, including a 10-year-old girl, while dozens more were seriously injured.

Ahmed al-Ahmed, a grocery store owner in Sutherland, became widely known after a video circulated showing him charging at the older of the two attackers and grappling with him, managing to take away his weapon. During his intervention, he was injured, sustaining multiple gunshot wounds to his shoulder and arm.

Bondi hero Ahmed al-Ahmed presented with $2.5 million cheque in hospital

From the hospital, he described the scene shortly before the attack broke out: “It was a beautiful day, everyone was enjoying the moment, celebrating with their children — women, men, teenagers. Everyone was happy… they deserve to enjoy it, it’s their right.” Elsewhere he added: “This country is the best country in the world… We will not stand by and just watch anymore, enough is enough. God bless Australia. Aussie, Aussie, Aussie.”

The fundraising campaign for Ahmed al-Ahmed, launched by CarHub Australia, attracted international attention. Among the donors was American billionaire Bill Ackman, who contributed $99,999. In total, donations to verified GoFundMe campaigns following the attack have reached $5 million.

Nearly $800,000 has been raised for the family of 10-year-old Matilda, the youngest victim, while more than $650,000 went to the families of 61-year-old Sophia and 69-year-old Boris German, who were killed while trying to stop the attack. Over $360,000 has been donated to the family of Rabbi Eli Slanger, and another $72,000 was raised for Boris Tetleroyd, who was injured along with his son.

The Premier of New South Wales, Chris Minns, described Ahmed al-Ahmed as a “true hero” after meeting him in hospital. He was also visited by the Governor-General of Australia, who conveyed the thanks of King Charles, saying that “the entire country has been shaken by this act of absolute heroism.” According to her, the 42-year-old is expected to be honored with a bravery award, having already received “very many” related proposals.

One of the attackers, 50-year-old Sajid Akram, was killed by police gunfire at the scene. His 24-year-old son, Navid Akram, was taken seriously injured to hospital, where he was treated in a coma for two days before being charged with dozens of offenses, including 15 counts of murder.