While Sunbathers Ran From Violence, Viral Photo Depicts Beach Patrol Sprinting ‘All Out’ To the Location.

Alexandra Ching, a lifelong local of Bondi, has always considered the famous beach as her own backyard. On that fateful weekend night, she, like many local residents, detected cracking sounds echoing through the community.

“Everyone did, but I considered it was still too bright and there was nothing visible,” Ching recounts. Stepping out of her residence, she saw people “flooding up Bondi Road”. The faces they wore made it clear trouble had occurred.

Positioned on the road, talking to a couple who had run up the slope still dripping wet, she noticed someone coming up behind her. The person was a beach patrol officer, running at full speed to Bondi barefoot from the neighbouring Tamarama beach – roughly 1.5km – while transporting a defibrillator.

“I heard someone say ‘excuse me’, and when I spun around I only caught a glimpse of this blur of blue,” she recounts. “He was just flying past. He was the only one moving in the opposite way that the crowd was trying to flee, while holding that sizeable pack and without footwear … He’s running towards something that certainly every instinct would signal you to move in the reverse way.

“Just no hesitation, but just completely maximum effort running.”

A Powerful Moment of Courage During Tragedy

The photo that Ching snapped of the lifeguard, later named as Jackson Doolan, was widely shared as a prime example of instances of valour in the aftermath of the tragic event.

Andy Reid, a second beach safety officer, noted that Doolan, known as “Jacko”, ran from Tamarama beach to assist the other members at Bondi, as well as to work with surf lifesavers, law enforcement and medical teams caring for dozens of those hurt.

Local Response and Assistance

Doolan’s account was part of a broader narrative to come out of the neighbourhood, with the lifeguard clubhouse adjacent to the scene of the attack transforming into a temporary medical station. It was shared that colleagues were also seen taking action, including rushing into the surf to rescue people who were struggling.

After the attack, statements of appreciation flooded in. A social media message expressed appreciation for the lifeguards who exhibited that “compassion will always conquer hatred”.

The team of rescuers issued a message, explaining they were “processing what transpired”.

“Thank you all for your thoughtful words and support. We are touched by the care directed at our team,” the team commented. “In time, we will recount our experiences in the hope that it supports those affected.”

Local Government Praise

Waverley council, the local authority that hires many professional beach safety officers, remarked that the team performed exceptionally from the instant the incident commenced right into late that night.

“People have shared so many powerful narratives, but the popular picture of Jackson Doolan, sprinting from Tamarama to Bondi with a AED so he could help preserve life is remarkable,” said a local official.

“Our lifeguards demonstrate dedication every day in keeping our internationally renowned shores safe for the public, but what we witnessed on that evening should be celebrated.

“As we grieve and come to terms with the atrocity of this brutal and barbaric terrorist attack, I think it is vital that we focus on just how much light we have witnessed in the midst of such hatred.”