While Beachgoers Fled Attack, Widely-Shared Image Captures Lifeguard Sprinting ‘All Out’ In the Direction of the Scene.

Alexandra Ching, someone who has spent her entire life as local of Bondi, has always considered the renowned coast as her back yard. On a recent weekend evening, she, along with numerous neighbors, detected pops ringing out across the suburb.

“We all thought the same, but I reasoned it was too light and there was nothing visible,” Ching states. Exiting her residence, she witnessed people “pouring up Bondi Road”. The looks on display made it clear a crisis was unfolding.

While standing on the avenue, talking to a duo who had hurried up the hill soaked, she heard someone coming up from behind. This turned out to be a rescuer, sprinting towards Bondi unshod from the adjacent Tamarama beach – a distance of 1.5km – while carrying a medical device.

“I noticed a person utter ‘excuse me’, and when I spun around I just saw this blur of blue,” she recalls. “He was just flying past. He was alone heading in the opposite way that the crowd was trying to escape from, and hauling that sizeable pack and barefoot … He moved towards something that certainly every instinct would signal you to move in the other direction.

“Absolutely no pause, but just completely full throttle racing.”

A Symbol of Bravery In the Wake of Chaos

The image taken by Ching of the lifeguard, now known to be Jackson Doolan, rapidly circulated as one of many instances of heroism in the wake of the terror attack.

Andy Reid, a second lifeguard, explained that Doolan, called “Jacko”, hurried from Tamarama beach to support the rest of his team at Bondi, as well as to help emergency personnel, police and ambulance crews attending to many victims.

Local Reaction and Support

Doolan’s account was part of a broader narrative to be shared by the neighbourhood, with the beach facility next to the location of the incident becoming a impromptu treatment center. Accounts show that colleagues were also seen taking action, including entering the surf to assist people needing help.

In the days after the tragedy, statements of support circulated widely. One post conveyed thanks for the lifeguards who exhibited that “kindness will always overcome hatred”.

The squad of rescuers later shared a communication, explaining they were “processing what transpired”.

“Our thanks go out to all for your kind sentiments and encouragement. We are touched by the care directed at our team,” the group wrote. “In time, we will recount our experiences in the belief that it helps those involved.”

Official Praise

Waverley council, the governing body that oversees many full-time lifeguards, remarked that the staff rose to the occasion from the instant the shooting commenced right into late that night.

“There have been so many moving stories, but the viral image of Jackson Doolan, running from Tamarama to Bondi with a AED so he could help assist the injured is incredible,” commented a council representative.

“These individuals exhibit altruism every day in ensuring our world-famous beaches protected for surfers and swimmers, but what we witnessed on that evening should be celebrated.

“As we grieve and grapple with the atrocity of this brutal and barbaric terrorist attack, I think it is important that we focus on just how much good we have witnessed in the face of such hatred.”