A generous young man has been praised after footing a bill that fed paramedics who attended the tragic stabbing scene at Westfield Bondi Junction.
Dozens of first responders rushed to the Sydney shopping center last Saturday after Joel Cauchi, 40, stabbed innocent bystanders, killing five women and Westfield security guard Faraz Tahir.
Paramedics, with the help of bystanders, saved several lives and took them to hospital, including that of a nine-month-old girl.
Later that night, a New South Wales ambulance inspector visited nearby Crust Clovelly and placed a “huge” order for pizzas to feed the hungry and emotionally exhausted crew.
One customer immediately stepped forward and paid the $250 bill without hesitation.
Paramedics were called to Westfield Bondi Junction last Saturday to treat injured victims.
Crust Clovelly customer paid $250 worth of pizzas for paramedics
“To the young man who covered our bill, I have to say a big thank you,” the inspector posted online.
“Having a full stomach made sitting down afterwards and having some very difficult conversations much easier.”
The man’s random act of kindness was also praised by Crust Clovelly owner Yashi Soni.
“We heard the news about the Bondi stabbing incident… it was very sad,” he said. 7news.com.au.
‘That night I was about to go personally to buy some products at the mall.
“The staff were a little scared.”
Inspired by customer generosity, the store donated $200 worth of pizzas to Waverley police that night.
Inspector Amy Scott was hailed as a national hero after she alone confronted Cauchi during the stabbing and, when he lunged at her with the knife, shot him dead.
“It was a satisfying gesture for us to feel that we could contribute, but the reason behind it was that we were very shocked,” Mr Soni said.
The Prince and Princess of Wales, King Charles III and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese led the chorus of tributes to the emergency workers who responded to last Saturday’s incident.
Westfield Bondi Junction reopened on Friday as health officials issued a welcome update on Harriet, the nine-month-old girl injured in the attack that killed her mother Ashlee Good.
Harriet’s condition at Sydney Children’s Hospital in Randwick has been downgraded from serious to stable, after she was moved out of intensive care earlier this week.
A NSW ambulance inspector said the random act of kindness after the tragedy made “some very difficult conversations much easier”.