Thousands back push to memorialise Bondi victim Matilda at playground
Tens of thousands of people are backing a petition to rename Bondi Park Playground after the youngest victim of the December 14 terror attack.
Matilda, nicknamed Matilda Bee, 10, had been with her family for the Chanukah by the Sea celebration that day. She had her face painted, petted farm animals, and played with her sister.
But after two gunmen, alleged to be father and son Said and Naveed Akram, opened fire on the gathered crowd, Matilda was among 15 people killed.
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Matilda was the youngest of the Bondi attack victims. Supplied/Facebook
Her parents, Michael and Valentyna, emigrated to Australia from Ukraine, and named her Matilda as she was their first child born down under.
Sydney man Jordan Vic, 24, himself the son of an immigrant, now wants to see that name immortalised.
He told 9news.com.au the inspiration for his Change.org petition to rename the playground after Matilda came from an online comment from somebody else in the community.
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Matilda's father Michale lights a candle for a menorah at a Bondi memorial. AP
"A comment can only gain so much traction, though, so I decided to make a petition," he said.
At first, he only circulated it among family and friends, asking them to pass it on. He posted it in a few places online, and before he knew it, the signing rate was shooting up.
"You always want it to get big, but you never expect it to," he said.
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Matilda played with loved ones before the attack began. Supplied
Matilda's parents support the petition. Audrey Richardson/Getty Images
"There's so much out there, I thought it might fall through the cracks."
One major boost, he said, came from the involvement of Matilda's family, with both her parents posting on the page.
"What a beautiful idea! Matilda was the only child whose life was taken during that attack… she deserves to be remembered," Valentyna wrote.
Michael thanked the signatories and called it a "terrific idea".
"The one thing about Russians is, we always have each other's backs," Vic said.
He attended many of the funerals in the community in the aftermath of the shooting, and said it had been amazing to see how many showed up to grieve and mourn alongside family and friends.
"We all know each other," he said.
For Matilda's memorial, Vic envisions an official name change - including on Google Maps - a plaque dedicated to Matilda, and a memorial space just outside the park itself, so kids can continue to play there.
The push is on for a permanent memorial. AP
His plan is to take the petition before Waverley Council, which has a meeting on February 24 which will involve discussing memorial options for the area.
He had originally aimed for 15,000 to 16,000 signatures - but already the petition has more than 20,900.
Still, Vic urged people to continue signing and sharing.
"Any signature helps, because we need to immortalise those who were taken from us," he said.
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