The younger sister of Matilda, the youngest victim of the Bondi terror attack, has spoken publicly for the first time, revealing her life was saved by a courageous stranger. Six-year-old Summer was playing with her ten-year-old sister at a petting zoo when the attack unfolded.
A Sister's Harrowing Account
On December 14, sisters Summer and Matilda were enjoying the Hanukkah by the Sea event when gunshots rang out. Matilda was fatally shot in the stomach and later died in hospital. In the chaos, a woman with ginger-coloured hair, who Summer believes was caring for the animals, protected the younger girl.
"I remember how she looks but I don't know her age," Summer told Woman's Day. "She was holding a big rabbit." Summer expressed her gratitude, saying she wanted to thank the woman for "helping me hide and making sure I didn't run away."
A Desperate Search for a Guardian Angel
The girls' parents, Valentyna and Michael, only learned of this mystery woman's actions from a friend who witnessed the event. Valentyna described how the woman grabbed Summer and hid her behind a vehicle next to the petting zoo, holding her throughout the attack.
"That's the only information that I have about her, but I would love to see her and say thank you. And at least know who the person was who saved Summer," the grieving mother said. The family is now desperate to locate this Good Samaritan.
Unimaginable Grief and Lasting Tributes
Valentyna recounted the terrifying moment the shooting started, initially mistaking the sounds for firecrackers. After hiding, she searched for her daughters, only to learn Matilda had been shot. She travelled with her daughter to hospital but the ten-year-old could not be saved.
The family described the sisters as "inseparable" and said Matilda's passing has been "very hard" for Summer, who is now receiving support from Grace's Place, a children's grief service. At Matilda's funeral on December 18, Summer wore a bumblebee rosette in her sister's honour.
In a lasting tribute, a pair of Matilda's bee-themed shoes and other memorial items will form part of a permanent exhibition at the Sydney Jewish Museum in Darlinghurst, honouring the victims of the attack.
