{"id":20994,"date":"2025-12-24T08:08:40","date_gmt":"2025-12-24T08:08:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/onepathnetwork.com\/?p=20994"},"modified":"2026-02-19T20:30:37","modified_gmt":"2026-02-19T20:30:37","slug":"bondi-attack-survivor-faith-trauma","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/onepathnetwork.com\/au\/society\/bondi-attack-survivor-faith-trauma\/","title":{"rendered":"\u00a0\u2018I Recited My Last Words and Ran to Help\u2019: A Bondi Attack Survivor\u2019s Story of Courage"},"content":{"rendered":"<\/amp-jwplayer>\n\n\n\n

On Sunday, 14 December 2025, a day that started like any other ended in tragedy at Bondi Beach. As chaos and fear gripped those present, ordinary people were thrust into extraordinary circumstances. Among them was Pasha, a migrant from India studying to become a chef, whose life was changed forever.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pasha found himself at the centre of the attack, not as a bystander, but as a first responder driven by faith and a profound sense of shared humanity. In a recent interview, he shared his firsthand account of the horror, the split-second decision that defined his actions, and the enduring trauma that followed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is his story of courage, compassion, and the powerful message he holds for all Australians.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A Normal Day Turns to Chaos: What Pasha Witnessed at Bondi<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Pasha was working as an Uber driver that afternoon. After dropping off a customer, he received another ride request from Bondi to Manly Beach. As his new passenger placed bags in the boot and suddenly ran off, Pasha was left confused.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI thought, what\u2019s going on?\u201d he recalls. \u201cI got down from the car\u2026 and I saw he was running. Initially, I thought he was afraid of firecrackers.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Curiosity led him to investigate, and he walked straight into a scene of terror.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt was like people screaming and shouting, and the bullet sounds everywhere,\u201d Pasha describes. He was only 500-600 meters from the attacker. The air was filled with pain, blood, and the raw fear of people fleeing for their lives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Choosing Compassion Over Fear: \u201cWhy I Ran Towards Danger\u201d<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

While the natural instinct for most was to run away, something stopped Pasha. He saw an elderly woman, likely in her 80s or 90s, bleeding from a bullet wound in her thigh and calling for help.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cShe was asking for help, and I couldn’t stop myself,\u201d he says. \u201cI just moved to her.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What makes a person run toward danger instead of away from it? For Pasha, the answer is rooted in his faith and upbringing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“The religion what I believe in always taught me that if you save one human, then you will save the whole of humanity. That is what was tickling in my mind.”<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This core principle became his anchor, motivating him to push past his own fear and focus entirely on helping others.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A Human Connection Amidst the Chaos<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

For the next 45 minutes, Pasha stayed by the elderly woman\u2019s side, holding her hand as she cried in pain. He offered her words of comfort and hope.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI told her, \u2018Don\u2019t worry, you are a brave woman. You will come back on Christmas day here, and you will sit on this same bench, and you\u2019ll sing the song again, and I\u2019m going to listen to you.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For a few moments, he says, she forgot her pain, smiled, and blessed him. Even as paramedics placed her in the ambulance, she waved to him, a small gesture of connection that has stayed with him ever since. He was so moved by her plight that he thought, “Why not the bullet has hit in my leg? At least I’m strong enough to bear that pain, but not she.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Facing Mortality: A Moment of Ultimate Faith<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Pasha was acutely aware of the risk. He could see the attacker moving forward, firing his weapon. Before he ran to the elderly woman, he made a conscious, split-second decision.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI just got a decision that I will read the Kalima, and I will go,\u201d he explains.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For those unfamiliar with Islamic tradition, the Kalima (or Shahada) is the declaration of faith. It is often the last thing a Muslim recites before death.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI was thinking that maybe I’m going to be alive or dead,\u201d he says. \u201cThat was the reason I recited that and went to help that lady.\u201d His faith wasn’t just a comfort; it was the source of his courage to act.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is the Kalima? The Kalima, or Shahada, is the Islamic declaration of faith:\u201d There is no god but Allah, and Muhammad is His messenger.\u201d It is a central pillar of Islam and is often recited in moments of deep conviction or when facing mortality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Lingering Trauma: Coping in the Aftermath<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Pasha remained at the scene for over four hours, helping victims and even a police officer get to safety. It was only when the immediate danger had passed that the full weight of the trauma hit him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAfter that, everything had struck back into my mind. My body got shivering, and I was crying,\u201d he recalls. \u201cThat was the first time I saw a human killing in front of my eyes.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The images are seared into his memory:<\/p>\n\n\n\n