NEED TO KNOW
- Ten-year-old Matilda is the youngest confirmed victim of the Bondi Beach terror attack.
- On Sunday, December 14, two gunmen opened fire on Jewish Hanukkah celebrations.
- Fifteen victims were killed, while at least 40 more people were wounded.
If you or someone you know has been affected by any of the issues raised in this article, help is always available. Call Lifeline Australia on 13 11 14.
The heartbroken parents of the youngest victim of the Bondi Beach terror attack have spoken out at a vigil.
Ten-year-old Matilda was tragically killed when gunmen targeted a Jewish Hanukkah celebration taking place on the Sydney beach at around 6.40pm on Sunday, December 14.
Fifteen people were killed during the shooting, and one of the two alleged gunmen was also shot dead, with Matilda being the youngest confirmed victim.
After the tragedy, a vigil took place at Bondi Pavilion on Tuesday, December 16, to honour those who lost their lives, with Matilda’s grieving parents paying tribute to their daughter.
The family relocated to Australia from Ukraine before the Russian invasion, and Matilda was their firstborn child in Australia, with her name paying tribute to the country.
Matilda’s mother, Valentyna, broke down in tears as she questioned what could have driven the gunmen to kill a child.
“I can’t imagine what monster stands on that bridge, and seeing a little girl running for her father, to hide with him, and he just pulled his trigger on her,” she said.
Matilda’s father, Michael, said he wasn’t planning on addressing the crowd at the vigil, but bravely fought back tears to pay tribute to his daughter.
“It wasn’t just a bullet from a stray, it wasn’t an accident. It was a bullet that was fired on her,” he said.
“We came here from the Ukraine … and I named her Matilda because she was our firstborn in Australia. And I thought that Matilda was the most Australian name that could ever exist.
“So just remember… remember her name.”
Matilda’s brother also spoke at the vigil and said the only thing giving him comfort was the fact that Matilda knew how much her family loved her.
“The one thing that brings me comfort is that whenever I would ask Matilda if she knew that I loved her, she would immediately say ‘yes’,” he said.
“She knew she was loved. She wasn’t alone.”
The family left a framed photograph of Matilda, her shoes and flowers at the growing pile of tributes laid at Bondi Pavilion after the tragedy.
Matilda was shot in front of her six-year-old sister during a day out with her family for Hanukkah, and later died in the hospital.
Their aunt, Lina, said Matilda’s younger sister is struggling to come to terms with the loss.
“She’s in absolute shock and stress, she’s missing her sister badly, she was lucky she didn’t get any injuries, but her mental state now [is a worry],” Lina told the ABC.
“Imagine you see your beautiful sister that you love just being killed in front of you.
“They were like twins — they’ve never been separated.”
Matilda’s former language teacher has set up a GoFundMe page in the child’s memory, and it has already raised more than $700,000, at the time of publication.
Matilda’s school has also paid tribute to Matilda in a heartbreaking Facebook post, describing her as a “little ray of sunshine”.
“She is genuinely the most kind, caring, and compassionate young girl, who brightened everyone’s day with her radiant smile and infectious laugh,” they wrote.
“Matilda has a strength and joy for life that we will always cherish and remember.”
Other victims included Rabbi Eli Schlanger, Holocaust survivor Alex Kleytman, grandmother Marika Pogany, Jewish man Reuven Morrison, and French citizen Dan Elkayam, 27.
