Omar Nabi/NBC/PAAs people around the world mourn the 49 people who tragically died in two terrorist attacks today, March 15, details and stories of the victims are slowly emerging.
One such story is that of 71-year-old Daoud Nabi, a grandfather, who is said to have thrown himself in front of other worshippers in a mosque to save them from the gunman.
Daoud was among the worshippers at the Masjid Al Noor mosque in Christchurch, New Zealand, when a gunman entered and opened fire. At least 49 people died across two mosques in the city, with dozens more being wounded.
A man from Australia, in his late 20s, has been arrested and charged with murder, while two other people have been detained by police.
PASpeaking to NBC News, Daoud’s son Omar Nabi spoke about the tragic loss of his father, and the selflessness he will be remembered for.
Describing his father, Omar talked about how Daoud would ‘help everyone who was a refugee’, even going to the airport to greet them and help get them started in their new lives.
Omar said:
Whether you’re from Palestine, Iraq, Syria — he’d been the first person to hold his hand up.
Daoud had moved his family from Afghanistan to New Zealand in the 1980s, when Omar was 6, after the Soviet Union invaded their home country. Daoud’s willingness to always help refugees was no doubt linked to his own experiences.
During his time living in New Zealand, Daoud founded a mosque and became president of a local Afghan association, his family grew too, including nine grandchildren today.
PAAccording to reports, Daoud threw himself in front of other worshippers at the Masjid Al Noor mosque, and sadly died from his injuries.
Our thoughts are with the family of Daoud, and everyone who has been affected by the tragic events of today.
If you’re concerned and need to contact a friend or relative please visit the International Committee of the Red Cross, who have set up a website by which you can restore links and register your own safety. Charlie Cocksedge is a journalist and sub-editor at UNILAD. He graduated from the University of Manchester with an MA in Creative Writing, where he learnt how to write in the third person, before getting his NCTJ. His work has also appeared in such places as The Guardian, PN Review and the bin.