UPDATE:
In a moving hospital bedside visit, social media philanthropist Zachery Dereniowski (known as MDMotivator) hand-delivered a giant $2.5 million check to Ahmed al-Ahmed, representing the collective gratitude of over 43,000 donors. Dereniowski praised Ahmed’s split-second decision to run toward the gunfire, telling him that while he may have been shot, he “saved an entire country from a much larger tragedy.” He emphasized that the money was not just a gift, but a symbol of a global community standing behind a man who stood up for everyone else.
Visibly emotional and still recovering from surgery, Ahmed responded with overwhelming humility and patriotism. He led a spirited chant of “Aussie, Aussie, Aussie, Oi, Oi, Oi” from his bed and expressed his deep love for his home, stating, “God protect Australia, best country in the world.” He shared that his actions were driven by a simple instinct to protect the families at the beach, noting that seeing the support from around the world has given him more strength than any medicine.
@mdmotivator Ahmed, the world loves you ❤️ #ahmed #bondi #sydney #gofundme #kindness ♬ HOLY FOREVER (Instrumental) – Glorify & CHILLØUT
ORIGINAL STORY:
In a moment of pure evil, one man became a beacon of light.
When terrorists opened fire on a Hanukkah celebration at Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia, panic ensued. But while most ran for cover, Ahmed al-Ahmed—a 43-year-old fruit shop owner and father of two—ran toward the gunfire.
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Completely unarmed, Ahmed sprinted from behind a parked car and tackled one of the gunmen, wrestling the rifle out of his hands.
In the struggle to save strangers, he was shot four to five times, with bullets striking his shoulder, arm, and hand.
His split-second decision undoubtedly saved countless lives. And now, the world is responding.
“Any Honorable Person”
Ahmed, a Syrian-Australian who moved to the country in 2006, is currently recovering in a Sydney hospital. Speaking through his family, he remained humble about his actions, insisting he didn’t even know who was being targeted—he just knew he had to stop the killing.
“Any honorable person, upon seeing people being killed, would not hesitate to try to stop it,” Ahmed said.
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His family says this selflessness is typical of the man they know.
“When he saw people lying on the ground and the blood, quickly his conscience pushed him to attack one of the terrorists and take away his weapon,” his father, Mohamed Fateh al-Ahmed, told reporters.
“He doesn’t discriminate between one nationality and another,” his father added. “Especially here in Australia, there’s no difference between one citizen and another”.
His cousin, Mustafa, put it simply: “He is a hero—100 percent, a hero”.
A Massive “Thank You”
The world agrees. A GoFundMe campaign launched to support Ahmed’s recovery exploded, raising over $2.5 million in just days.
The effort was led by Australian social media influencer Zachery Dereniowski (known as “MD Motivator”) and Car Hub Australia, who kickstarted the fund with a massive $50,000 donation.
But the support didn’t stop there.
American billionaire hedge fund manager Bill Ackman heard about Ahmed’s bravery and immediately donated $100,000 to the campaign.
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Ackman publicly praised Ahmed as a “brave hero” and announced that his foundation will now establish a permanent reward program to financially support ordinary citizens who risk their lives to stop violence.
Even President Trump weighed in, calling Ahmed “a very, very brave person” who “saved a lot of lives”.
A Light in the Darkness
The attack, carried out by a radicalized Muslim father and son, was intended to sow division and fear during the Jewish festival of lights. Instead, it revealed the unbreakable strength of the human spirit.
An unarmed Muslim father risked everything to save Jewish families he didn’t even know.
As his mother, Malakeh, told reporters: “We pray that God saves him”.
Today, millions around the world are praying with her.
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Caleb Parke is an independent journalist. Follow him on X, Facebook, Instagram, and connect with him at calebparke.com.
