Paul de Waard

Melbourne CBD shooting

Dutch backpacker Paul de Waard, then 25, was walking down the corner of Flinders Lane and Williams street on June 18th 2007. De Waard was planning to return home in a few weeks after spending the past 11 months backpacking around Australia. De Waard was walking to refill his McDonald's cup when at 8:15 am he noticed a woman, Kaera Douglas, being pulled out of a cab by a man, Christopher Wayne Hudson. De Waard and Melbourne lawyer, father of three, Brendan Keilar, both rushed to the woman's aid. Hudson then pulled out a gun and shot Douglas once, killed Brendan Keilar, and shot de Waard two times. When doctors arrived at the scene little hope was left for Paul. When he arrived at the hospital, a doctor remarked that he was "as close to death as you can come without actually dying." De Waard's family rushed over to Australia when they heard the news and were overwhelmed by support from Australians. De Waard said that it was the support of everyone and all the gifts he received from Australians he didn't even know that helped him to stay positive. De Waard said that throughout his time in Australia he has seen Australian commercials which had the slogan "to violence against women Australia says no" and he acted upon his impulses as he saw Ms. Douglas was in distress. De Waard returned home to The Netherlands to begin his recovery.

Aftermath

In a Sunrise exclusive on October 23rd 2007 it was revealed that Paul de Waard was still struggling with his recovery. He undergoes four hours of rehab every day and is slowly relearning to walk again. He has very visible bullet wounds and a scar from which the doctors cut his chest open in a bid to save his life. De Waard wanted the Sunrise team to bring him Australian beer, and he still says he wouldn't change his actions on that day. He admitted that he thinks about Brendan Keilar and his family a lot. He is one of the most positive people, the Sunrise reporter claimed. De Waard said he was extremely grateful for all the presents and thanks he received from Australians he had never even met and he said that the shooting has made him love Australia and, in particular, Melbourne even more as he received so much support. de Waard has set a goal to compete in a surfing tournament in the Netherlands in April 2008 and he plans to return to Melbourne in September 2008 to work at the Hilton, which offered him a job.