When Beachgoers Escaped Danger, Viral Picture Captures Lifeguard Dashing ‘Pedal to the Metal’ To the Scene.
Alexandra Ching, a lifelong resident of Bondi, views the famous beach as her back yard. On that particular Sunday evening, she, like many local residents, noticed loud noises ringing out through the neighbourhood.
“Everyone did, but I considered it was still too bright and you couldn't spot any lights,” Ching states. Stepping out of her residence, she witnessed people “flooding up Bondi Road”. The faces they wore made it clear something was wrong.
Positioned on the road, talking to a duo who had hurried up the slope in their swimwear, she became aware of someone coming up at her rear. The person was a beach patrol officer, running at full speed in the direction of Bondi barefoot from the nearby Tamarama beach – a distance of 1.5km – while carrying a medical device.
“I noticed a person utter ‘excuse me’, and turning my head I spotted this streak in blue,” Ching describes. “He was simply racing by. He was alone running in the opposite way that everyone was trying to escape from, and hauling that big kit and barefoot … He was sprinting into something that certainly every part of you would instruct you to move in the reverse way.
“Absolutely no pause, but just completely maximum effort running.”
A Symbol of Heroism During Tragedy
The photo Ching captured of the rescuer, now known to be Jackson Doolan, quickly spread as one of many moments of heroism in the following of the tragic event.
Andy Reid, a second lifeguard, says that Doolan, referred to as “Jacko”, sprinted from Tamarama beach to support the remaining crew at Bondi, as well as to help other rescuers, police and medical teams attending to numerous victims.
Collective Reaction and Solidarity
Doolan’s actions was part of a broader narrative to come out of the community, with the lifeguard clubhouse adjacent to the location of the attack serving as a temporary hospital. It was shared that fellow lifeguards were also seen helping out, including entering the water to assist people in distress.
In the days after the events, statements of support flooded in. A social media message shared thanks for the lifeguards who showed that “compassion will always conquer hatred”.
The group of rescuers issued a message, saying they were “processing what happened”.
“Thank you all for your supportive words and encouragement. We are touched by the compassion shown towards our responders,” the organization wrote. “In time, we will recount our experiences in the hope that it aids those impacted.”
Council Recognition
Waverley council, the local authority that employs many permanent beach safety officers, said that the team acted heroically from the moment the violence started through to late that night.
“People have shared so many powerful accounts, but the viral picture of Jackson Doolan, running from Tamarama to Bondi with a AED so he could help preserve life is extraordinary,” said a mayor.
“The team demonstrate altruism every day in maintaining the safety of our iconic beaches safe for surfers and swimmers, but what we observed on that evening should be highly praised.
“While we mourn and come to terms with the terror of this heinous act of violence, I think it is vital that we focus on just how much positivity we have seen in the presence of such hatred.”
