Family pays tribute to ‘outgoing, kind’ Kirsty
THE family of an Australian woman caught up in London’s terror attacks has confirmed she died “running towards danger”.
South Australian nurse Kirsty Boden, 28, was on London Bridge when she was attacked by terrorists who carried out the attack that left seven people dead just after 10pm on Saturday, local time.
In a statement Ms Boden’s family said she was “loved and adored by family, friends and her boyfriend”.
“She was the most outgoing, kind and generous person who loved to help people,” they said.
“Helping people was what she loved to do in her job as a nurse and in her daily life.
“As she ran towards danger, in an effort to help people on the bridge, Kirsty sadly lost her life.
“We are so proud of Kirsty’s brave actions which demonstrate how selfless, caring and heroic she was, not only on that night, but throughout all of her life. Kirsty – we love you and we will miss you dearly.”
The family asked for space to grieve in private.
Seven people were killed and 48 injured in London when three terrorists mowed down pedestrians with a van, then attacked passers-by with knives, before they were shot dead by police.
Ms Boden, from the South Australian Riverland town of Loxton, is believed to have been living in the UK since 2013.
A nurse, she graduated from Flinders University in 2010 and her social media accounts show her enjoying time on beaches in Sydney and walking in trendy Notting Hill in London.
Grave fears are held for a second Australian woman, Brisban’s Sara Zelenak, 21, who remains unaccounted for after being separated from a friend as the terrorist struck.
Ms Zelenak’s mother Julie Wallace was preparing last night to fly to London in a desperate bid to locate her daughter in one of the five hospitals treating the victims.
She told yesterday how her daughter had narrowly missed being caught up in the two previous terror attacks in the UK in the past three months – a similar attack at Westminster where four pedestrians and a policeman were killed and the suicide bombing at a Manchester pop concert which killed 22 people
“Where (the) policemen were stabbed three months ago, she was there the day before in the exact same spot,” Ms Wallace told 97.3FM radio in Brisbane.
“The one with Ariana Grande (in Manchester), she was going to go to the concert. Everything she has just missed.”
Ms Zelenak was working as an au pair, and was due to work on Saturday night but had a change of plans after the grandparents of her young charges took over instead.