‘This is our church’: Hundreds of Volunteer rescuers Come together to Remember Tragedy Those lost.
Standing silently upon the ocean on Bondi beach, hand in hand with hundreds of colleagues, Lockie Cook opened up to the pain of a community’s harrowing week in modern times.
“It feels like my defences are coming down,” he remarked.
Surf lifesavers came together in large numbers on the weekend to observe two minutes of silence and remember those who died in the tragic shooting.
From the very young to the elderly, alongside friends and neighbours wearing red-and-yellow uniforms stood together, forming a human chain extending from the iconic bay's north end toward its southern point.
“The big thing that’s come out of this is just how much this community matters to me,” he expressed.
“Here is our spiritual ground … It’s just important we come together again and really heal.”
A Time of Silent Reflection
At that morning, the two minutes’ silence was initiated by a man at the beach’s central lifeguard post, near which lie clusters of floral memorials.
“120 seconds can be a very long time but please look within,” he urged.
“Hold hands with the person next to you, close your eyes and think about the loved ones grieving so we can rebuild with strength for this community.”
Lifesavers gazed at the sand or to the distance as the community and its leaders stood by. All that could be heard were the ocean's rhythm, a distant canine cry and a droning rescue helicopter, which circled along the shore as the moment concluded.
Taking Back the Shore
People gathered slowly turned to embrace and cheer their fellow lifesavers at the far end of the beach as acclamation came from the observing onlookers.
This was one more demonstration of the lifesavers working to bring together the community this week, said one individual, a Jewish member of the northern surf club and a first responder on the day of the attack.
“At this moment, I am filled with the compassion and solidarity,” commented the participant, who wished to remain anonymous.
Having lived at Bondi nearly all his life, he took part in the swim on in the days after and has sought to take back the beach as his own.
“It felt like reclaiming a space, it’s healing,” he said.
The Guiding Spirit of Rescue
Gene Ross, a veteran instructor, spent the moments’ silence standing by his newly certified son, thinking about the togetherness his club had shown every day since Sunday.
“Carrying out the tragedy here … prompted Australia to come and support the community.”
Scores of lifesavers experienced a mix of emotions together as they returned in the direction of their clubs and through the area where their fellow members helped the injured on Sunday.
Dozens more stayed on the water's edge, on duty to help people going back into the surf.
“We’re here for everybody and that’s the guiding spirit of lifesaving,” Ross said.
“It is our calling as volunteers: we head into the emergency.”
