The mother of the man killed by a gunman during the Melbourne siege on Monday says she has not eaten or slept for two days following the devastating loss of her son.
Nick Hao, 36 – originally from China – was working at Buckingham Serviced Apartments on Monday night when he was shot dead by Yacqub Khayre.
Mr Hao became an Australian citizen after emigrating in 2002 and had got married only a few weeks ago.
Speaking through a translator, Nick’s mum – who wished not to be named – says she “hates the terrorist who tore her family apart”.
Mr Hao’s mother said she and her husband had moved to Australia about a year ago because their son wanted to look after and provide for them.
“We are both old and now we have to bury our son. It feels like the end of the world,” she said.
“My son is an Australian citizen and he has worked very hard in Australia and built a life for himself and has made a contribution to Australian society, and now I send him off to work one day and he never came back.”
“When we came to Australia, we were looking forward to a family reunion but after the incident, the past few days have been the saddest and darkest days in our lives,” she said.
Thanking the Victorian Government, Victoria Police and local Chinese community for their support, she continued:
‘We don’t know much in Australia, and we don’t speak English and we are truly helpless here.
‘Such an incident happening in Melbourne truly shows that the world is full of uncertainties and dangers.
‘We hope Australians [and] Australian Chinese communities can all unite together and watch out for each other and together we can fight terrorism.’
This article first published on New Idea.
Related stories
Native ad body.
Native ad body.
Native ad body.
