The man who went viral for his valour during the Bondi Beach terror attack has seen his health take a turn for the worst.
Mr al-Ahmed was scheduled to undergo further treatment in New York before he suffered severe pain and swelling in his hand. He has already undergone three surgeries for his wounds.(Image: Supplied)
The hero of Bondi Beach has issued a desperate plea for prayers after his health took a dive while recovering in New York.
The brave Aussie, who stared down terror at Sydney’s iconic beach, is currently in the US undergoing specialist treatment for the gunshot wounds he suffered while confronting one of the alleged Bondi shooters in December.
His astonishing act of bravery — disarming one attacker as bullets flew — was caught on camera and rocketed around the world, turning the humble shop owner into a global symbol of courage.
He shot several times during the Australian terror attack that left 15 innocent people dead. Naveed Akram, 24, has since been charged with 59 offences, including 15 counts of murder. His father, Sajid Akram, 50, was shot dead by police at the scene.
But now he faces a battle that is just his own, with his health declining in the US where he has travelled for specialist medical treatement in the wake of the Bondi attacks. He has already endured three rounds of surgery for gunshot wounds sustained during the horror on December 14.
In a heartbreaking Instagram video posted overnight, a pale and visibly exhausted Mr al-Ahmed could be seen lying in a hotel bed, surrounded by visitors and well-wishers. “My health has declined again,” he said, revealing he was forced to cancel multiple meetings after suffering sudden swelling in his hand and “severe pain”.
“When the pain returns after the medicine wears off, I feel discouraged.
He added: “But when I remember I acted to protect innocent people — and that so many people love me and are praying for me — I feel hope, optimism and joy.”
Despite cancelling appointments due to his worsening condition, Mr al-Ahmed said people still travelled to see him.
“Even after meetings were cancelled, they came with such kindness and respect to check on me in my modest hotel room,” he said. “Thank you from all my heart. Please remember me in your prayers.”
The worrying update came just hours after he met former Australian prime minister Kevin Rudd during a visit to the United States Congress in New York.
“It was a great honour,” Mr al-Ahmed said after meeting Australia’s ambassador and members of the US Senate and Congress. Mr Rudd praised him in emotional footage, saying: “You did an extraordinary thing, my friend. Your image went across the world. We love you for it.”
Since the horror attack, the Bondi hero has found fans in a string of world leaders, with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and NSW Premier Chris Minns both visining him in hospital in the hours after the shooting. Mr Albanese called him “the best of our country”, while Mr Minns branded him a “real-life hero”.
Recalling the terrifying moment he charged one of the gunmen, Mr al-Ahmed said something inside him simply took over.
“I felt a power in my body,” he said. “I didn’t want to see people killed. I didn’t want to hear gunfire or screams. That was my soul telling me what to do.”
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