Australian fashion designer Pip Edwards has spoken of her immense relief after being reunited with her teenage son, who flew home from the United States following her terrifying experience in the Bondi Beach terror attack.
A Mother's Harrowing 15-Minute Ordeal
Pip Edwards, the founder of activewear label P.E Nation, was caught up in the horrific shooting at Sydney's Bondi Beach on Sunday afternoon. The attack unfolded during the 'Chanukah by the Sea' event, which marked the first day of Hanukkah and attracted hundreds of locals, tourists, and families to the iconic destination.
In a detailed Instagram post on Monday, Edwards described the incident as a 'crazy, wild, and unnecessarily brutal' act that shattered a glorious summer's day. She revealed she was leaving the beach with a friend when two heavily armed men, allegedly 24-year-old Naveed Akram and his 50-year-old father Sajid Akram, opened fire with military-grade weapons from a pedestrian footbridge just metres behind them.
Trapped Under a Van as Gunmen Circled
Edwards and her companion immediately sought refuge between two parked vans as the gunfire rang out incessantly. They were forced to take cover underneath one of the vehicles for approximately 15 minutes as the assailants paced around them.
'We had to immediately take refuge under a van and watched the gunman's feet with his gun pace in front of the van right at our heads,' Edwards wrote. She described a second gunman positioning himself at the rear of the vehicle, effectively trapping them. The pair remained frozen, struggling to breathe for fear of being heard, as bullets struck surrounding cars.
'I was convulsing with fear, trapped, thinking this was it for us,' she admitted, recalling how they rolled to hide behind the van's wheels as the attackers' feet moved around them.
Emotional Reunion with Son Justice
The profound relief of surviving the attack was compounded on Tuesday when Edwards was reunited with her 19-year-old son, Justice. The aspiring basketball player had relocated from Sydney to California earlier this year to attend Solano Community College.
Edwards shared a poignant photo on social media showing her in the passenger seat of a car with Justice driving and another family member in the back. Her caption was simple yet powerful: 'My boy is home,' accompanied by a love heart emoji.
In her Instagram reflections, Edwards emphasised the importance of family, writing: 'I love my son beyond words, and I love my family and friends so much. Love is all that matters.'
The designer had previously spoken about the difficulty of adjusting to her son's move abroad, even selling their apartment in Sydney's Rose Bay to avoid the constant reminder of his absence. 'He's creating new memories; I've got to do the same,' she had said.
The Bondi Beach attack has sent shockwaves through Australia and the international community, with Edwards's personal account providing a chilling, first-hand perspective on the trauma inflicted upon innocent bystanders.
