Australians are mourning the victims in that 17-hour hostage standoff in a Sydney cafe. Here in Ottawa, a local family watched the drama unfold, knowing their loved one was among the hostages. Michael Mikhael was glued to his television set here in Ottawa for hours, worried for the safety of all 17 hostages but especially one in particular; his sister-in-law Marcia Mikhael. From his home in south Ottawa, Michael Mikhael relives those anxious moments, glued to the television set after learning his sister-in-law was inside that café in downtown Sydney.
‘We thought all kinds of things,’ says Mikhael, ‘because all you think about is bad things, that she may die.’
The 52-year-old executive, who attended the University of Ottawa years ago, was one of 17 people taken hostage inside a downtown Sydney cafe. She, and the other hostages were forced by the gunman, a self-proclaimed Islamic Sheikh, to record video messages. Man Monis was shot dead when soldiers stormed the cafe. But two hostages died as well; 38-year-old Katrina Dawson and 34-year-old Tori Johnson, the manager of the café. Witnesses say he died trying to disarm the gunman.
Mikhael's brother-in-law says the family spent 17 dark hours worrying that would be Marcia's fate as well.
But hours into the stand-off, the Ottawa family suddenly sees Marcia Mikhael being carried out by emergency workers.
‘I kind of screamed,’ he says, ‘This is Marcia. Thank God she is alive and I hope everybody will be alive and no one will die. Then I broke down in tears.’
Michael Mikhael says his sister-in-law is doing well and is still in hospital. He says she was supposed to go for an operation today but he hopes to talk to her soon and pass on how thankful they are that she is alive.
