EXCLUSIVE
Joel Cauchi’s elderly parents are contacting all Australians who sent them a message of support after their schizophrenic son stabbed six people to death at Westfield Bondi Junction.
Michele and Andrew Cauchi have received cards and flowers from across the country in the two months since the massacre, many sent by Australians who have a family member suffering from serious mental illness.
The outpouring of empathy has overwhelmed the couple, whose quiet lives in regional Queensland were upended by the Sydney shopping center massacre on April 13.
His 40-year-old son’s rampage ended only when he was shot dead by heroic Inspector Amy Scott, the first police officer on the scene..
The dead were: new mother Ashlee Good, 38, bride-to-be Dawn Singleton, 25, security guard Faraz Ahmed Tahir, 30, architect Jade Young, 47, artist Pikria Darchia, 55 years old, and economics student Yixuan Cheng, 27 years old.
Two months after their schizophrenic son stabbed six people to death at Westfield Bondi Junction, Joel Cauchi’s parents are contacting every Australian who sent them a message of support. Michele Cauchi in the photo
A dozen more victims were taken to hospital, including Good’s nine-month-old daughter Harriet.
The Cauchis have engaged Brisbane-based mental health support organization Arafmi to help them respond to all those who have expressed their sympathy and understanding for the couple’s own loss.
Daily Mail Australia has obtained one of the letters Arafmi general manager Alex Tyson has been sending to those strangers who have offered much-needed comfort to Cauchi.
“The Cauchi family has asked Arafmi to write to you on their behalf,” Mrs. Tyson writes in the letter.
‘They thank you for your kind thoughts and the personal message you have sent.
“The family appreciates the continued support they have received from so many people in the community and this includes your message.”
The letters are geographically tailored to recipients and provide contact details for local agencies that support carers of loved ones experiencing mental health difficulties.
“In messages to the family, many people shared their own experiences of supporting and caring for someone with mental health needs,” Ms Tyson writes.
“At times these experiences can be challenging and there are supports available in every state in Australia to help carers in these situations.”
Michele and Andrew Cauchi have received cards and flowers from caring Australians, many of whom have a family member suffering from serious mental illness. Mr. Cauchi appears in the photo.
The Cauchis have hired Brisbane-based mental health support organization Arafmi to help them respond to all those who have expressed their condolences over the couple’s own loss.
Daily Mail Australia spoke to the Cauchis at their Toowoomba home two weeks after the deaths of their son and his victims.
Devastated that their son could become so deranged that he would become a mass murderer, they were overcome by a variety of emotions including confusion and grief.
“First of all, I feel sorry for the victims,” said Ms. Cauchi.
‘I don’t want to take anything away from the victims. I am very sorry for what has happened. Our son fell apart in the last few months and we didn’t know it.
‘But I just want to say thank you to the people all over Australia who have sent me cards and letters.
“Most of them have a family member with a mental illness.”
At the time, Mrs. Cauchi said that many of the notes she and her husband had received had no return address, so she could not respond to the senders.
“Anyway, I’m not in a position to respond to them at the moment,” he said.
“But I just wanted to thank you, people have been very kind.”
Joel Cauchi killed new mother Ashlee Good, 38, bride-to-be Dawn Singleton, 25, security guard Faraz Ahmed Tahir, 30, architect Jade Young, 47, artist Pikria Darchia, 55, and economics student Yixuan Cheng, 27. Pictured during his rampage on April 13.
The Cauchis had previously said they understood why Inspector Scott was forced to shoot their son and “we hope he copes well”.
Cauchi said he and his wife had been sent so many flowers that when a “lovely local girl” arrived with more, she didn’t show enough gratitude.
“We’ve been inundated with probably $2,000 worth of flowers,” Cauchi said April 26. “And food, fruit and cards.”
Cauchi said he was grateful for “the compassion of this nation” but would try to cope with what his son had done “for the next 40 years.”
“As far as I’m concerned, Joel deserves what he got,” she said through tears.
His wife immediately responded, ‘Shoosh, don’t say that.’
“He is very upset,” Mrs. Cauchi said.
“We didn’t know he had fallen so far. And even if we did, what would we do?
‘Forcibly take our adult son home and then what? Where would you take it? I’m sorry, it’s very difficult.
“He did something terrible and I don’t deny it. I’m really sorry for what happened.”
Ms Cauchi said police in New South Wales and Queensland had been “absolutely wonderful” in their dealings with the couple.
“Everyone has been very thoughtful,” he said.
‘Regardless of what they may think about what happened, they have been very kind.
“So I just wanted to thank you.”