Ahmed al-Ahmed: Bondi terror hero opens up on aftermath of attack, fighting to regain use of left armFraser WilliamsThe NightlySun, 22 February 2026 3:14PMCommentsCommentsEmail Fraser Williams
Bondi hero Ahmed al-Ahmed has revealed he may never regain full use of his left arm again, as he continues his physical recovery from being shot five times during the devastating December 14 attack.
Two months on from the terror attack where 15 innocent Jewish Australians were gunned down at Bondi Beach and as Ahmed continues to be feted worldwide for his bravery, the revelation is a stark reminder of the extreme peril he did not shy from when he wrestled a gun from one of the two evil shooters.
The 44-year-old Syrian-born shopkeeper Ahmed was filmed sneaking up to the gunmen, before pouncing from behind cover onto the terrorist’s back and snatching the firearm from his grasp.
The vision was seen around the world and everyone marvelled at the bold act of courage as Ahmed pointed the rifle right back at evil incarnate Sajid Akram.
But instead of inflicting revenge for the 15 innocent lives lost, Ahmed gently rested the gun against a nearby tree and backed away while the disarmed gunman scrambled to his feet.
In an act of cowardice from the other shooter perched on a footbridge nearby, five shots were fired into Ahmed as he tried to walk away from the chaotic situation.
Ahmed revealed on Sunday that his moment of fete, which occurred because he was out walking to grab an evening coffee, has potentially cost him a permanent loss of his left arm.
The shots ripped through his shoulder and left extensive nerve damage — two bullets still lodged inside his upper body — leaving Ahmed still unable to move his fingers unaided.
He had previously spent three months last year with that arm in a sling following rotator cuff surgery.
“My whole left hand was weaker to fight, but that’s how I know it was a message from God telling me to help people,” he said in an interview with The Times.
Despite the cruel setback, Ahmed continues to be resilient and rehab his wounded arm with daily exercises and stretches to regain strength, but range of motion is still limited following surgery.
Some sensitivity remains in Ahmed’s fingers, meaning he can still feel his wife holding his hand.
However, the physical pain has taken its toll — requiring a cocktail of painkillers every four hours.
“I can’t sleep more than two hours, I’m lucky if I have three hours every night,” Ahmed said.
In a touching display of gratitude, a staggering $2.5 million for Ahmed was raised through an online fundraiser set up by a local business, which received more than 43,000 donations in just four days.
The unexpected influx of money has given the father hope that the extra cash can “bring my hand back to life”.
“I’m not going to be quite Elon Must or Bill Gates,” Ahmed joked.
Faced with the prospect that he might never regain full use of his left arm, the Bondi hero still has no regrets about his split second decision on December 14.
“I’m worried about losing movement in my fingers and it not coming back, but mentally everything’s good because for me it was about saving lives,” he said.
“I’m proud of what I did.”
By the time he had been taken to hospital, those pictures of Ahmed enacting one the greatest displays of bravery ever seen on Australian soil had travelled the globe.
Although he was not immediately identified, there was little doubt in his wife’s mind who the anonymous hero was — even before she had spoken to her husband.
“She told me when she saw it that she knew it was me, because who else would do that?” he said in the interview.
The devote father of two said that his eldest daughter, Sofia, had been somewhat more critical of his lifesaving feat.
Ahmed recalled her asking: “why didn’t you go and take the gun off the other guy on the bridge?”
Since relocating Down Under in 2006, the Australian Muslim who risked his life to save Australian Jews said that it has felt like “living in a heaven, that’s what Australia and Bondi is”.
“Australia gave me hope and I said, when I took my citizenship, that I have to give back to this country.”
In the aftermath of the attack, AHmed sold his tobacco store to focus on what’s ahead, refusing to dwell on the past.
“We have a saying in my country: feel good, and the future will be good,” Ahmed said.
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