Marcia Mikhael is the Aussie mum and world bodybuilding champ who lived through the terrifying siege in Sydney’s Martin Place, only to come through it stronger than before.
“If anyone was going to get through this I knew it was going to be Marcia,” says Marcia’s relieved friend Maria Andriano.
“She’s just that type of person, very strong and positive.
“She’s always wanted to excel in her life; everything she does she wants to better her life and her family.”
It had started out like any other day for the Sydney-based mum Marcia, 43. Rising early for a gym workout, she sent her three adoring boys off to school and pecked her restaurateur hubby George on the lips before heading into her job as IT project manager for Westpac. She had been looking forward to her regular mid-morning caffeine hit at Lindt Cafe, just a short stroll from work.
The first moment that Marcia knew something was wrong that fateful morning was when, without warning, she heard self-appointed sheik Man Haron Monis screaming at her and the other stunned customers that this was a terrorist attack.
Meanwhile Marcia’s good friend and trainer Maria thought it odd that the fledging personal trainer which she helped mould into a world-beating bodybuilder in Greece last year, hadn’t been in touch that morning – if Marcia said she would do something, she always followed through.
Pointing a shotgun, Monis told his terrified captives that there were bombs in the building and they must do as he instructed them.
Marcia was one of the hostage enlisted by the gunman to record videos and contact the media.
Marcia was forced to do the gunman’s bidding and appear in videos outlining his demands.
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“This is a message to Tony Abbott,” a brave Marcia was forced to say in a chilling online video.
“We’re held here hostage and The Brother [the twisted name Monis gave himself] has three requests.”
The gunman also demanded an Islamic State flag, to speak with the prime minister and to let the media know of two other bombs in the Sydney CBD in exchange for hostages.
Marcia was also forced to post the demands on her Facebook page.
“He is now threatening to start killing us. We need help right now. The man wants the world to know that Australia is under attack by the Islamic State.”
When the siege finally came to its explosive and tragic end at 2.45am and a bloodied Marcia was carried to safety, Maria screamed with joy at the sight of her friend.
Marcia is carried to safety by police and ambulance officers.
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Just a few sleepless hours after the siege ended, Maria was at Royal North Shore Hospital to give Marcia moral support.
It was a time for distraction and loving embraces, rather than at time to hear a blow-by-blow account of her ordeal – especially from Marcia’s relieved husband George and their terrified three young children.
“But she did share with me that she was scared for her life and it was the most horrifying thing she’d ever experienced,” says Maria. “I just told her, ‘You’ll be back in the gym soon and squatting again when you get the use of your leg back’.
“She’ll get back up there, I know she will. I think she’ll get more determined than ever now this has happened.”
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