By Denise Deason
WERRIBEE heroine Donna McGowan has had an emotional reunion with the man whose life she helped to save in the CBD shootings last month.
Ms McGowan joined Dutch backpacker Paul de Waard, 25, at the Royal Melbourne Hospital to see him take his first steps as he continues his recovery from his wounds.
“Paul said when he walked, he wanted it to be straight to me,” she said.
“When he took his first few steps we both cried, and then we had a kiss and a cuddle.
“He’s a lovely man and he’s looking a lot chirpier now.
“We will definitely be lifelong friends – we have a special bond.”
The 41-year-old mother of three has been nominated for a Pride of Australia medal for her actions by the Crime Victims Support Association.
A business operations manager, she was working at 45 William St when she saw the shootings on the morning of 18 June.
She immediately rushed to Mr de Waard’s aid as he lay on the ground in Flinders Lane after being shot three times in the upper body.
She cradled him in her arms and used her coat to stem the flow of blood from his chest while waiting for ambulance officers to arrive.
Ms McGowan said she felt “overwhelmed” being nominated for a Pride of Australia medal, but doesn’t regard herself as brave.
“I didn’t stop to think – I just went to him to try to help,” she said.
“I was a bit frightened – there were people shot and blood on the ground, and I didn’t know if the gunman was still around.
“But I think I just blacked it all out to concentrate on Paul.
“It didn’t hit me until later what I’d done.
“At the time, I just kept talking to him to keep him awake. I wanted him to live.
“There’s nothing special about me.
“I’d like to think if I was lying on the ground, shot, someone would help me.”
Ms McGowan gave Mr de Waard a necklace with a purple stone, given to her by her children, Jake, 13, Sheena, 11, and Luke, 8.
“I told him to look at it if he ever feels sad and he said he’d wear it back in Holland.
“I joked with him that after all the blood transfusions here, he’s actually half-Aussie now.”
Ms McGowan has not been able to bring herself to go back into the city since the day of the shootings and is undergoing counselling.
“I can’t face working in the city again and I’ll be looking for employment locally,” she said.
Crime Victims Support Association spokesman Noel McNamara said Ms McGowan thoroughly deserved the nomination for the medal.
“It was carnage on that day,” he said.
“Donna disregarded her own safety and went in to help – she’s very brave.”
Recommendations to nominate Mr de Waard and solicitor Brendan Keilar, who was killed, have also been received.
Both Mr de Waard and Mr Keilar went to the aid of Kara Douglas, who was being attacked on the street, when the gunman shot them all.
However, nominees for the Pride of Australia medal must be Australian citizens and alive to be eligible.
