‘To you he’s a monster – to me, he was a sick boy’

The heartbroken parents of mass killer Joel Cauchi have opened up about the shock and loss of their son — with a message to everyone who has a loved one with mental illness.

After going about their morning routine of feeding the pigeons and hanging clothes on the line in the backyard of their Toowoomba home, Andrew

and Michele Cauchi (pictured left) opened up to the media, sharing their pain of both their loss of their son and doing all they could to help him with his schizophrenia.

“Really, I’m so sorry about what my son has done, we don’t know why he did what he did,” Mrs Cauchi told the media.

“He was brought up in love, he was a loved child, he was under the care of his doctors for 18 years.

“This is a parent’s absolute nightmare when they have a child with mental illness that something like this would happen.” She ended her plea with telling anyone who has a child with mental illness to look for support and suggested they contact ARAFMI.

Mr Cauchi spoke to the media while he was out tending his garden, and choking back tears the father said he did everything he could for his son.

“I made myself a servant to my son when I found out he had a mental illness, I became his servant — I did everything because I love that boy,” Mr Cauchi said. “I’m loving a monster, to you he’s a monster — to me, he was a very sick boy.

“I’m sorry, there’s nothing I can do or say that can bring them back to from the dead.

“But I mean, he’s my son, OK, he’s my son.”

The elderly couple were visited by their neighbours and friends throughout the day, with flowers left by the door.

In response to the attack in Sydney, Grand Central Shopping Centre management released a statement outlining that they have increased their security presence.