“I Did It From the Heart”: Bondi Beach Hero Grateful After Receiving R41m in GoFundMe Donations

• Content creator Zachery Dereniowski and others started a GoFundMe page for Bondi Beach hero Ahmed al Ahmed
• The father of two disarmed a man who allegedly opened fire on people attending a Jewish celebration
• Upon receiving his monetary gift, Ahmed shared a special message for those who kindly opened their wallets to support him

Ahmed al Ahmed, an Australian citizen of Syrian origin, risked his life when he tackled and disarmed one of two armed Bondi Beach attackers, getting shot in the process. To reward his heroism, people across the globe donated money, reaching an impressive total of R41 million.

The suspects of the brutal attack, which took place on Sunday, 14 December 2025, during a Jewish Hanukkah celebration, are reportedly a father-son duo who killed at least 15 people and wounded many.

Popular content creator Zachery Dereniowski, known for his acts of kindness and generous donations, along with a man named Thomas Traynor and Car Hub Australia, organised a GoFundMe page, inviting many people to financially support the fruit shop owner. Zachery visited Ahmed, a father of two little girls, at the Saint George Hospital in New South Wales, informing him about the thousands of donors and millions of rands.

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When the video of their encounter was recorded, the content creator noted that 43 000 people donated, but a quick look at the GoFundMe page at the time of publication showed that the number had increased to 44 000.

After hearing that he was the recipient of the large sum of money, a grateful Ahmed shared a message for the people:

"When I saved the people, I did it from the heart. Because it was a nice day, everyone was celebrating with their kids, and they deserved to enjoy it. It's their right."

Watch the video here, as seen on Zachery's Instagram account.

3 Other stories about selfless heroes

• In another article, Briefly News reported that a brave Jack Russell named Jan died a hero while protecting his owner's farm from a deadly snake.
• A Cape Town content creator shared the heartwarming story of a retired police officer who used his garden to help his community.
• A Checkers Sixty60 delivery driver rushed to help after spotting a luxury vehicle on fire in an estate complex.

Source: Briefly News