Larry Emdur has shared an emotional video in the wake of the Bondi terror attack that left 15 people dead and countless more seriously wounded.
The beloved Morning Show host took to Instagram overnight to share his heartbreak over what unfolded on Sunday evening in the Sydney beachside suburb where he grew up.
“I’m a Bondi boy and our Bondi heart is completely shattered,” he captioned the video.
In the clip, Emdur struggled to hold back tears as he expressed his sorrow and compassion to the innocent civilians caught up in the senseless shootings by father-and-son duo, Naveed Akram, 24, and Sajid Akram, 50.
“This is take 35. I tried so many times to do this. I wanted to say something last night but I couldn’t, and I waned to say something this morning and I couldn’t. And I’ll try now and I don’t know if I can,” a distraught Emdur began in the video.
“I thought maybe if I let it sit for a second or a minute or a few hours, I’ll know what to say and I don’t still. So I just want to send all my love and best wishes, clearly, to the victims and the families of the victims.”
The 61-year-old said that Bondi is very much part of life, with his family moving there from Melbourne when he was an infant.
“I’ve grown up on Bondi Beach. I’ve walked across that bridge one million times, from when my feet were so small. And I’ve played in that park all of my life,” he said, referencing the footbridge Naveed and Sajid used as a vantage point to shoot at the crowd gathered at the park for a Jewish Hanukkah event.
“Bondi only ever, for me, has been a place of happiness and all I can remember from my 50 or 60 years there is happy family times and laughing and having fun. Beautiful memories, and that all changed yesterday for so many families and so many people,” he continued.
“The people at the beautiful festival celebrating life and love, and all the people just at the beach whose lives have changed forever – they’ve seen things you’re never supposed to see anywhere in the world, let alone on a family day on Bondi Beach.”
Emdur began to choke up as he neared the end of his video, sharing that he and wife Sylvie and their children are devastated over the incident.
“So my heart goes out to you all,” he said. “Me and my family are so sad. So sad. And I just wanted to let you know that we’re all thinking of you, everyone who this has affected and there are so many people. So lot’s of love to you all.”
Fellow TV personalities who were touched by Emdur’s words showed their support in the comments, with his Morning Show co-host leading the way.
“From the absolute bottom of your Bondi heart, I can tell,” commented his co-host Kylie Gillies, while Nine personality Richard Wilkins wrote, “Love you Bro … unspeakable …”
“Beautiful words mate. Love to you and the family as well as everyone affected by this horrible tragedy,” fellow TV presenter Rove McManus also commented, with Aussie model and Michael Clarke’s ex-wife Kyly Clarke writing, “I cry with you and am in great shock. That beach was also my home and my people and still my people and I stand with you with great deep sadness.”
