By ANEEKA SIMONIS
A GLOBAL audience was rocked by the tragic end to last week’s siege in Sydney, including a Berwick student who urged Australians to unite together, not fall apart, in wake of the attack.
Steph Harris, 16, from Beaconhills College in Berwick posted the touching two-minute tribute titled “A Nation of Mates,” to her Youtube account hours after the siege ended on Tuesday 17 December.
The mature teen called on the country to stick together and not live in fear after rogue gunman Man Haron Monis held 17 hostages at the Lindt Cafe in Martin Place for more than 16 hours.
“As a nation we’ll pull through these difficult times because we are a nation of mates that look out for one another,” she said.
“To the victim’s families, we are here for you today … we will be here for you tomorrow and every day after that.”
“We will not bow down, we will not give into the fear that these people endeavour to instil in our society. We are strong.”
Steph sent the video, which attracted more than 800 views less than 24 hours after it had been published, to 3AW radio station.
Her mother Kate said she was proud of her daughter for her encouraging words.
“I think it’s pretty amazing,” she said.
“I’m very proud of her.”
Sydney lawyer Katrina Dawson, 38, and Tori Johnson, 34, died as a result of the siege which ended in the early hours of Tuesday morning.
Several hostages escaped the caf¨¦ before police, who heard loud explosions and yelling, opened fire at around 2am.
