New Zealand mosque shooting survivor completes Walk for Peace
<p dir="ltr">A New Zealand man who was shot nine times completed a two-week walk and bike ride stretching across the country - all in the name of peace.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Temel Atacocugu retraced the steps of the gunman who attacked two Christchurch mosques and took 51 lives on the <a href="https://www.oversixty.co.nz/health/caring/three-years-on-since-mosque-terrorist-attack" target="_blank" rel="noopener">third anniversary</a> of the shooting.</p>
<p dir="ltr">“I wanted to fix this damage,” Atacocugu told the <em><a href="https://www.npr.org/2022/03/15/1086599199/shot-9-times-at-new-zealand-mosque-survivor-walks-for-peace" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Associated Press</a></em>. “Because three years ago, he started that journey with hate.”</p>
<p dir="ltr">The 47-year-old said he wanted to bless the 360-kilometre route from Dunedin to the two Christchurch mosques and raise funds for charity along the way.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Though he initially intended to make the entire journey on foot, temperamental weather and the onset of severe blisters and blood poisoning saw him spend several days in a local hospital about halfway through.</p>
<p dir="ltr">“The best point was meeting lots of beautiful people and getting great support from them,” he said.</p>
<p dir="ltr">“The low point was being in the emergency room. But I was not going to give up. I got on my bike straight after discharge.”</p>
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<p dir="ltr">Travelling by bike also helped him make up for lost time.</p>
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<p dir="ltr">On Tuesday at 1.40pm - the exact time he was shot during Friday prayers in 2019 - Atacocugu entered the Al Noor mosque after walking the final stretch with about 50 supporters.</p>
<p dir="ltr">“I made a speech, it was very emotional,” Atacocugu said. “I was so happy. It was a big relief to have completed my mission.”</p>
<p dir="ltr">Having been shot in the mouth, his left arm and both legs during the attack, Atacocugu said he often felt pain from his injuries on his journey.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Afterwards, he said he planned to recuperate with a long sleep and perhaps a sauna and spa.</p>
<p dir="ltr">As his gruelling journey came to an end, an <a href="https://givealittle.co.nz/fundraiser/temels-walk-for-peace" target="_blank" rel="noopener">online donations page</a> showed that Atacocugu had raised $NZD 64,000 ($AUD 43,000) for three charities benefiting children: the Child Cancer Foundation, Save the Children New Zealand, and The Key to Life Charitable Trust.</p>
<p dir="ltr">As of Wednesday afternoon, the sum came to a whopping $NZD 72,215 ($AUD 67,870).</p>
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<p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Temel’s Walk for Peace (Facebook)</em></p>
