"I Wish I Could Have Done More"
First Steps of a Hero: Leibel Lazaroff Defies the Odds After Bondi Beach Attack
After undergoing seven surgeries and surviving a brutal terrorist attack at Bondi Beach, hero Leibel Lazaroff has taken his first steps toward a miraculous recovery.
The image of Leibel Lazaroff taking his first steps this week is a powerful testament to a young man whose bravery defined a night of tragedy. During a festive Chanukah celebration at Bondi Beach, what was meant to be a night of light turned into a scene of terror when a gunman opened fire on the crowd. As families scrambled for safety and screams filled the air, 20 year old Leibel, an American rabbi in training, did the unthinkable. Rather than fleeing the carnage, he ran directly toward a wounded police officer who lay bleeding in the open.
Leibel is known by those who love him as someone who would literally give you the shirt off his back, and in the heat of battle, he did exactly that. Without hesitation, he stripped off his own shirt, tore the fabric into strips, and tied a life saving tourniquet around the officer's wounds. As bullets continued to fly overhead, Leibel worked desperately to stabilize the man. When the terrorist began to approach them directly, Leibel urged the officer to fire his weapon with his uninjured hand. When the officer was unable to do so, Leibel, who grew up in Texas and was trained in firearm safety, asked for the gun to protect them both. Before he could act, the terrorist fired, striking Leibel in the stomach and thigh.
The young rabbi’s journey to this moment has been a brutal fight for survival. He has endured seven major surgeries as doctors worked tirelessly to repair the damage caused by the gunfire. Leibel was in Sydney for an internship under his mentor, Rabbi Eli Schlanger, who was tragically murdered in the same attack. The loss of his mentor has weighed heavily on him, even as he faces his own recovery. His father shared the emotional burden his son carries, telling news outlets that Leibel’s first thoughts were of his mentor, saying, "He saw Rabbi Eli get shot, and Rabbi Eli was his mentor. He said, ‘I wish there was more I could have done.’"
Despite the grief and the severity of his physical trauma, Leibel is recovering with a speed that many are calling a miracle. The prayers of communities from Texas to Sydney have followed his progress through the intensive care unit and into the rehabilitation ward. Today, his first steps represent more than just physical healing, they symbolize the triumph of courage over self preservation. Leibel chose to stand his ground when others ran, proving that even in the face of absolute darkness, there are individuals who will sacrifice everything for the sake of a stranger. The community continues to ask for prayers for Yehuda Leib ben Manya as he continues his long road to full health.