- Matilda was playing with bubbles two minutes before she was shot
- A photographer at the Hanukkah event captured her last moments
- Another photographer was shot and killed at the event
Heartwarming photos have emerged of 10-year-old Matilda enjoying a Hanukkah celebration with her family just minutes before she was killed in the Bondi Beach terrorist attack.
Amir Glazer, a photographer who was working at last Sunday’s Chanukah by the Sea event gave Daily Mail permission to share the images so that Matilda will never be forgotten.
The photos were taken at 6.45pm, just two minutes before alleged gunman Sajid Akram, 50, and his son Naveed, 24, opened fire on the crowd, killing 15 and wounding dozens more.
Wearing a bright yellow dress and her face painted with dolphins, Matilda was captured beaming with delight as she played with a bubble machine with her little sister Summer and other children near a petting zoo.
Mr Glazer also captured the last family photo of Matilda with her parents Valentyna and Michael.
The family can be seen smiling at the camera as Matilda proudly wrapped her arm around her sister.
Mr Glazer vividly remembers photographing Matilda and printing the images for her family.
‘She’s just an innocent girl that has nothing to do with all this evil in the world,’ Mr Glazer told 9News.
Matilda could be seen laughing as she played with bubbles, two minutes before she was killed
She was playing with her little sister and a group of other children at a petting zoo in the park
The last family photo of Matilda with her parents Valentyna and Michael, and sister (bottom left)
‘All she wanted to do was have fun with her family, friends and little sister. She just died for no reason.’
Mr Glazer was working at the Hanukkah celebration with his long-time colleague and friend, retired police officer turned photographer Peter Meagher, who was also fatally shot.
He said Peter, 61, loved his job as a photographer as he could meet new people and capture special moments and memories.
The pair had worked together for nearly five years.
‘He came every time to the events and was so happy to meet the people and capture their amazing moments and turn it into a memory they will carry forever,’ Mr Glazer said.
He described Mr Meagher as a ‘kind hearted’ man who embraced the Jewish community, despite not having a connection to Judaism himself.
‘During the event, the Chabad people approached Peter and offered him to put on tefillin, and he agreed,’ Mr Glazer told the Daily Telegraph.
‘He put on tefillin at the event, just half an hour before he was murdered. He had no connection to Judaism, but he respected everyone.’
Photographer Amir Glazer shared the series of photos with the families’ permission
Retired police officer turned photographer Peter Meagher (pictured) was also working at the event when he was shot and killed
Mr Glazer grew up in Israel and moved to Australia 10 years ago.
He initially thought the loud bangs were fireworks but then realised they were bullets.
He encouraged panicked people to run, but many froze in shock.
‘I ran towards the beach and went slightly into the water to get away from the crowds. I ran to an area that was relatively clear, and I didn’t stop for about six minutes, until the shooting stopped,’ Mr Glazer recalled.
‘There were a lot of people on the beach, panicked and running in every direction.’
Fourteen of the 40 patients wounded remain in hospital.
