#EP191 A message from Bondi

Like so many others, we’re still trying to come to terms with the scale and impact of the recent attack in Bondi. As a result, we’ve made the decision to pause our usual episode schedule - it didn’t feel right to continue as normal, and we appreciate your understanding.

We also want to acknowledge the civilians and first responders who stepped forward in moments of unthinkable danger. Your courage and compassion made a difference when it mattered most.

Our thoughts are with the Jewish community and everyone directly affected.

If this event has triggered past or present trauma or has left you feeling overwhelmed professional support is available at:

Lifeline 13 11 14

Kids Helpline 1800 55 1800

Beyond Blue 1300 22 46 36

PANDA 1300 726 306

Mental Health Line 1800 011 511

Transcultural Mental Health Line 1800 648 911

How to talk to your kids about what happened - advice here

If you would like to donate blood head to www.lifeblood.com.au

If you would like to donate to the victim's families head to:

Matilda's family

Rabbi Eli Schlanger's family

 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome back to two Doting Dads. A little bit of
a change of gears in this episode due to the
incident that happened over the weekend at Bondai Beach. We
do record this podcast out of North Bondi, which happens
to be Matt's house. Matt and I both agreed that
it doesn't feel quite right to release a regular episode

(00:21):
as we would on a Wednesday, but we will withhold
that and release it next week.

Speaker 2 (00:26):
Yeah, we've been trying to make sense of what's unfolded,
and it's just impossible to put into words how horrific
it was. We do want to say to the Jewish
community and to anyone who's been impacted by this, our
hearts with you. You know, on Sunday when it happened,
I was in the backyard and started hearing these popping

(00:47):
noises like fireworks, and I thought to myself, well, that's
really strange to have fireworks when it's not dark.

Speaker 1 (00:54):
And that's what you would think. I mean, it was
sort of what's six thirty, closer to seven o'clock in
the ear evening, and maybe you would have thought that
fire well, I.

Speaker 2 (01:03):
Thought, you know, some of the high schools are off,
so I was like, maybe kids have just let off
fireworks or crackers. And then the longer I heard, I
grabbed Laura and I was like, that's that's gunshots and
Laura was like, surely not. And then we kept hearing
them and I was like, that is absolutely gunshots. And
I was then messaging a few friends as well, being

(01:25):
like can you hear this? Can you you know, are
you hearing what I'm hearing? And then I was just
like hoping that it was just it wasn't what the
reality was. And then messages started coming through that there
was an active shooter. And at the same time, at
the front, there's a few people who had kind of
come off the beach. You know, there's this massive stampede

(01:47):
of people who are escaping.

Speaker 1 (01:49):
Yeah, because you're like five hundred meters from the location,
which is wild. And I did receive a message from
you as it was happening, and I was the same
as you could not believe what you were witnessing and
what you were hearing.

Speaker 2 (02:00):
Yeah, And then even I looked out the front because
the rumor was that the gunmen was still in the loose,
and so we were like, okay, we'll just locked the doors.
At the same time. When I locked the doors, Laura
and I saw a couple out the front and they
looked completely shell shocked and they were kind of just
stood still but also looking around, and so you're okay,

(02:22):
and they're like, well, we're trying to get out of here,
but Uber's canceled four times, and we're like, just come
into our house. So they came in and the kids
were like, who are these people?

Speaker 1 (02:33):
You know?

Speaker 2 (02:33):
We said it's okay, like they're just they're just friends.
They're going to pop in, And it was really obvious
that they were in shock. They'd just come down from
the beach. They were just down there themselves. But they
were in our house then for a couple of hours
until we knew it was safe for them to leave,
and then the story started coming through of what just unfolded,
and it was, Yeah, it was unlike anything I've experienced

(02:57):
and never wont to experience again. How long do you.

Speaker 1 (02:59):
Think it went on for that you could hear, well,
it was.

Speaker 2 (03:04):
At least ten minutes we could hear it. And then
I drove them that couple home maybe like two hours
afterwards when I knew it knew it was safe, but yees.
Since since then, it's just like it's hard because we've
all got such an appetite to find out what has
happened and the details around it. But then at the
same time, when you start looking at the news and

(03:27):
you start looking at what's being put out there on
social media, very quickly becomes too much. So then it's
just like you're fluctuating between your out capacity and is
too much to handle and digest, And at the same
time you also want to know the stories and the
severity of the situation to those fifty innocent people who
sadly passed away. I just I can't imagine what you're

(03:49):
in the family is going through. And you know, we'll
put details in the show notes of where you can
support those families. There's a little girl called Matilda who
was ten. Fuck you know the photos of her enjoying
that day and then to pass away in front of
her sister and her family, Like, it's just fucking horrific

(04:12):
and it makes me so angry.

Speaker 1 (04:14):
Yeah, sadly, Yeah, people have lost their lives and you know,
the biggest mass shooting we've had in since Port Arthur,
and you know, it's amazing the community banding together and
everyone getting around each other. And then also we've got
parents that coming out that were protecting their children down there,
but then also trying to explain it to you know,

(04:36):
your young girls, and then going on with normal life.
I turned up today for the first time since it's happened,
and there's an eerie feeling in the air. Just days later, Yeah.

Speaker 2 (04:46):
It was in Monday morning. School is shut for Maley's
so we had them at home. We kept Lolla home
from daycare as well. And then you know, I went
for a walk down to a local cafe and it
was busy and there's a lot of people. Everyone was
supporting each other, and I saw this Jewish man. We

(05:08):
have a quick chat, you know, we're kind of on
the same schedules in the morning where we get our
coffees at the same time after I've got the girls off,
and I asked if he was okay, and he just
broke down. And it's hard for families in Bondai. And
then you knowing those especially the Jewish community, how much
they're impacted right now and how they're feeling and the

(05:30):
fear that they have is so unfair, especially because that
dad who I spoke to. You know, he's grown up
here in Bondi. That area is where he's had kids' birthdays,
is where he's taught as sunder kick of football, and
he's like that space which was so special, it was
such a place of happy memories for him, is always
now forever going to be tarnished. And then even this morning,

(05:54):
you know, that feeling is still around Bondi. There was
another dad who I spoke to just just briefly and
asked him how he was going, and we were having
just you know, a quick chat, and then just out
of nowhere, he broke down and he started crying, and
just everyone is really struggling right now to try and

(06:15):
comprehend what's just happened.

Speaker 1 (06:16):
Yeah, and I want to give a special mention to
everyone that's sort of jumped in to help out. There
was so much footage from the paramedics, to the police
who acted so swiftly, to the public who were willing
to jump in and help.

Speaker 2 (06:30):
And I think when you have something as horrific as that,
you're witnessing the worst of mankind, and then at the
same time you're witnessing some of the best, you know,
those the innocent bystanders who reached out to help, especially
the man the footage of the guy who was wrestling
with the shooter.

Speaker 1 (06:49):
Armed l armed.

Speaker 2 (06:51):
Yeah, I mean, what an absolute hero. That's the bravest
thing I've ever witnessed in my life. Yeah.

Speaker 1 (06:57):
Like, as dads, we often think about what if someone
you know, entered MySpace and I had to protect my family,
how brave would I be? And you always have it
in that mind in your mind that you're like, I
would be that person. But to put your life on
the line to save countless lives out in public with
a guy wielding essentially a rifle is absolutely unbelievable. It

(07:19):
was absolutely amazing to see everyone band together and continue
to as well along with you know, donating blood.

Speaker 2 (07:25):
At the time of recording, they still need own negative
So if you do want to donate blood, you can
go to lifeblood dot com dot au for details on that.
We will put those details in the show notes as well. Also,
just want to say a huge thank you to all
the dotors who reached out and checked in on me
and the family. It's hugely appreciated.

Speaker 1 (07:42):
Yeah, it goes to show what sort of community that
we are a part of, and we appreciate every single
one of you, and look after your friends, look after
those closest to you, and we'll leave some really important
resources in the show notes that you can access now.

Speaker 2 (07:56):
This is our last record for the year, so we
will be hanging up the head after this. We have
an episode coming out next week with April, which is
a pre recorded episode, and then we will have best
OF's up.

Speaker 1 (08:09):
Until twenty sixth of January, that's correct, and we will
have brand new episodes from that point onwards. From Matt
n thank you so much for an amazing year, and
look after yourselves and enjoy the break and.

Speaker 2 (08:23):
Lots of love. Thanks very much, Thanks guys, Goodbye,