Heart-wrenching moment young Matilda’s parents dance to tune of Waltzing Matilda – as viewers praise David Campbell’s moving tribute to 10-year-old Bondi terror victim
The parents of the youngest victim of the Bondi massacre were seen dancing during a musical tribute to their daughter in a heartbreaking moment at Sunday night’s vigil.
Matilda, 10, had been at a Jewish festival celebrating the first night of Hanukkah near Bondi Beach Pavilion on December 14.
She had just had her face painted and was playing with farm animals at a petting zoo with her six-year-old sister when the shooting began.
Alleged gunman Naveed Akram and his father, Sajid Akram, are accused of killing 15 people at the family event and injuring dozens more.
Matilda was shot in front of her little sister. She was rushed to hospital but couldn’t be saved.
On Sunday night, Australia held a minute’s silence to mark the moment police first started receiving calls of the shooting at 6.47pm a week earlier.
Matilda’s parents were among the crowd at Bondi Beach during a memorial service, estimated to be 15,000-strong.
In honour of his lost daughter, Matilda’s father wore a kippah decorated with bee stripes – a tribute to his daughter’s middle name.
The parents of Matilda, the youngest victim of the Bondi massacre, attended a vigil on Sunday
Matilda (pictured) was fatally shot while at a petting zoo with her little sister, celebrating the first night of Hanukkah
Matilda’s parents danced and held each other during a performance of Waltzing Matilda
One of the most touching moments of the ceremony near Bondi Pavilion came during David Campbell’s performance of Waltzing Matilda.
Matilda’s parents danced to the song bearing their daughter’s name while thousands around them grieved the shooting that took 15 innocent lives.
On top of the thousands applauding in-person, dozens of Aussies took to social media to praise Campbell’s emotional performance.
‘Very touching tribute by David Campbell singing Waltzing Matilda in honour of little Matilda, who unfortunately lost her life in the Bondi tragedy,’ one person wrote.
‘Geez, I love David Campbell,’ another said.
‘Bravo David Campbell for that Waltzing Matilda. Chills,’ another person wrote.
The candlelight vigil was part of a national Day of Reflection.
Michelle Goldman, chief executive of the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies, lit the first candle for the vigil at Bondi and started the minute’s silence.
An estimated 15,000 people turned up to the vigil in support of the victims and their loved ones, like Matilda’s parents
Matilda’s father wore a kippah decorated with bee stripes – a tribute to his daughter’s middle name
David Campbell (pictured) gave the touching Waltzing Matilda performance on Sunday night
The silence was broken by Australian Jewish musician Ben Adler who performed the national anthem.
As the music was played by several musicians, including David Campbell, a montage showed images of the 15 victims and the thousands of flowers left at the scene of the massacre.
Those victims were Boris and Sofia Gurman, Rabbi Eli Schlanger, Edith Brutman, Adam Smyth, Boris Tetleroyd, Marika Pogany, 10-year-old Matilda, Peter Meagher, Dan Elkayam, Reuven Morrison, Tibor Weitzen, Alexander Kleytman, Rabbi Yaakov Levitan, and Tania Tretiak.
