Bondi Junction attack: Huge amount raised for murdered mum Ash Good’s partner and injured daughter

Thousands of Australians have donated to a fundraiser set up to support the injured daughter and partner of Sydney mum Ashlee Good as one of the heroes of the stabbing massacre at Westfield Bondi Junction was thanked for his “extraordinary bravery” with an offer of citizenship.

The news comes as it was confirmed on Tuesday that Ms Good’s infant daughter was no longer in intensive care and was in a serious but stable condition.

As the GoFundMe for Ms Good’s family approached half a million dollars, more detail also emerged about the motivation and pre-planning by shopping centre killer Joel Cauchi, including that he had scoped out more Westfield centres in Sydney ahead of Saturday’s attack.

NSW police were probing Cauchi’s childhood in Queensland and looking into reports he had earlier visited Westfields in Penrith and Parramatta, possibly planning attacks there.

“We will be looking at all of those angles,” NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb said on Tuesday.

Cauchi, 40, killed six people and injured 12 more in a 15-minute frenzy with a hunting knife in which he mainly targeted women on Saturday afternoon.

He inflicted fatal wounds on Ms Good, advertising guru John Singleton’s newly engaged daughter Dawn Singleton, university student Yixuan Cheng, artist Pikria Darchia, architect Jade Young and security guard Faraz Tahir before he was shot dead by Inspector Amy Scott.

On Tuesday, the heroic actions of a French tourist, who was dubbed “bollard man” after he was filmed holding Cauchi back from ascending an escalator, was told by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese he was welcome to stay in Australia.

“I say this to Damien Guerot who is dealing with his visa applications, that you are welcome here, you are welcome to stay for as long as you like,” Mr Albanese said.

“This is someone who we would welcome becoming an Australian citizen, although that would of course be a loss for France. We thank him for his extraordinary bravery.

“It says a lot about the nature of humanity at a time when we are facing difficult issues, that someone who is not a citizen of this country stood bravely at the top of those escalators and stopped this perpetrator from getting onto another floor and potentially inflicting further carnage on citizens.”

Some of the friends and families of the victims have established GoFundMe charities and on Tuesday afternoon more than $430,000 had been raised from more than 8400 donations to Ms Good’s partner and nine-month-old daughter, who was stabbed inside her pram by Cauchi.

Ms Good was stabbed while trying to protect her daughter, who remains at Sydney Children’s Hospital after surgery.

“Our hearts were broken beyond comprehension as we learned of the tragic loss of our beautiful friend, Ash, in the stabbing attack at Westfield Bondi Junction on Saturday afternoon,” the GoFundMe page reads.

Set up by her friend and former colleague, Isagenix boss Steve Foxwell, the fundraiser had an initial target of $100,000 but has far exceeded that in just two days.

Donations ranged from $5000 to $1, many of them anonymous.

“Ash was a ray of sunshine and positivity in every aspect of her life and died a hero saving her little girl from the most unspeakable evil,” the fundraiser states.

“We have been overwhelmed by requests from loved ones and strangers wanting to support (Ms Good’s family),” it said, adding that being a mother “was Ash’s whole life”.

“Her love and commitment to them (her family) was evident to all who knew her.

“We are united in our devastation that her bright future was cut short in this way. Her beautiful and warm spirit, drive and energy inspired us all.”

The funds were being collected for her family “to give them the freedom to go forward into the future without financial burden or worry” and would all be passed on to her partner.

“We know that no amount of money will ever substitute her presence in their lives and thank you for your generous donations,” the page says.

The GoFundMe states it was authorised by Ms Good’s family, as well as her good friend, prominent Sydney lawyer Rebekah Giles.

There are also funds established for Ms Young and Mr Tahir at gofundme.com.

Of the twelve who were injured in the attacks on Saturday, six remain in hospital, including Ms Good’s daughter and two other women in intensive care units, according to a spokesperson for NSW Health.

A man and a woman are in stable conditions at St Vincent’s Hospital and another man and woman are at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital and there is one woman in a stable condition at Royal North Shore Hospital.

“NSW Health extends its deepest sympathies to the families, friends and loved ones of those who died and were injured at Bondi Junction Westfield,” the NSW Health spokesperson said.