EXCLUSIVE
Joel Cauchi’s parents have expressed gratitude for the support of countless strangers since their schizophrenic son was shot dead after stabbing six people to death at Westfield Bondi Junction.
For the past two weeks, Michele and Andrew Cauchi have been receiving cards and flowers from caring Australians, many of whom have a family member suffering from serious mental illness.
The couple’s lives were turned upside down when their 40-year-old son went on a rampage in Sydney Shopping Center on April 14 before heroic Inspector Amy Scott detained him with three bullets in the chest.
Those killed 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.
A dozen more victims were taken to hospital, including Good’s nine-month-old daughter Harriet.
Pictured are Michele and Andrew Cauchi, the parents of Bondi Junction Westfield killer Joel Cauchi.
Joel Cauchi is pictured (right) holding a knife while carrying out his murderous attack at Bondi Junction Westfield in Sydney.
Cauchi’s parents have been overcome by waves of various emotions since the massacre, devastated that their son could become so deranged that he would become a multiple murderer.
“Firstly, I feel sorry for the victims,” Ms Cauchi told WhatsNew2Day Australia from her home in Toowoomba on Friday. ‘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.”
Mrs. Cauchi said many of the notes she and her husband received had no return address, so she was unable to 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.”
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,” Mr. Cauchi said. 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.
Police officer Amy Scott (pictured) prevented further carnage after running into a shopping center and putting an end to Joel Cauchi’s rampage.
“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.”
Bondi Junction Westfield massacre victim Ashlee Good, 38, pictured
Pictured is Dawn Singleton, 25, victim of the Bondi Junction Westfield massacre
Pictured is Faraz Tahir, 30, victim of the Bondi Junction Westfield massacre
Pictured is Pikria Darchia, 55, victim of the Bondi Junction Westfield massacre.
Pictured is Yixuan Cheng, 27, victim of the Bondi Junction Westfield massacre
Pictured is Jade Young, 47, victim of the Bondi Junction Westfield massacre
