This evening, a poignant menorah lighting ceremony took place at Bondi Pavilion, drawing hundreds of individuals who came together to honor the memory of those lost in a tragic event. Among the attendees was the family of the late Matilda, who was one of the victims.

Matilda’s mother, overwhelmed with grief, addressed the crowd with tears in her eyes. As she spoke, she grappled with the incomprehensible actions of the gunmen responsible for her daughter’s death.

“I struggle to fathom what kind of monster could stand on that bridge, see a little girl running towards her father for safety, and still choose to pull the trigger,” she said, her voice breaking.

“This was no accident, no stray bullet. It was a deliberate act,” she added, emphasizing the tragedy of her daughter’s senseless murder.

Despite the sorrow, Matilda’s brother found solace in the memories of his sister, cherishing the moments they shared.

“The one thing that brings me comfort is that whenever I would ask Matilda if she knew that I loved her, she would immediately say ‘yes’,” he said.

“She knew she was loved. She wasn’t alone.”

The family embraced and sobbed as they laid a framed photo of the smiling girl, her shoes and flowers to the growing pile of flowers and tributes at Bondi Pavilion. 

Matilda had been fatally shot in front of her six-year-old sister.

She was rushed to hospital, but could not be saved. 

Her aunt, Lina Chernykh, shared footage of Matilda smiling and posing with her sister hours before she was killed.

She said the heartbroken family will never recover from their loss.

“A happy kid,” she told 9News.

“She was open-hearted. Everywhere she goes, she was like a sun.”

La Perouse School said Matilda was their “little ray of sunshine” as they paid tribute to their pupil, who was “deeply respected and loved” by students and staff alike.

“She is genuinely the most kind, caring and compassionate young girl, who brightened everyone’s day with her radiant smile and infectious laugh,” the school wrote in a statement.

“Matilda has an incredible gift for bringing joy to those around her.”

Matilda had just won the school’s Soroptimist International Literacy Award on Friday, just two days before the shooting.

La Perouse School said they will always cherish and remember Matilda’s strength and joy for life.

Matilda has been remembered as a “bright, joyful, and spirited child who brought light to everyone around her” by her language teacher Irina Goodhew, who has launched a fundraising appeal for her family.

“Her memory will live on in our hearts,” she wrote on the fundraising site.

If you have been impacted by the terror attack in Bondi there is support available.