Christchurch mosque attacks: Victim Hussein Al Umari to receive bravery reward after family's lengthy fight for recognition

A victim of the mosque attacks will be honoured with a bravery award as a result of the coronial inquest. 

It ends a long fight for Hussein Al Umari's family who learned of his heroism on March 15 and have campaigned ever since for official recognition. 

Aya Al Umari was seen kitting up for far more than a bungy jump on Sunday.  

"After what I learnt about my brother yesterday, I need to dump this adrenalin somewhere so I'm jumping off the Sky Tower," she laughed nervously. 

She's the proud and loving sister of Hussein Al Umari and has been fighting for his legacy since that dreadful day. 

His family have long known he died a hero, but it's never been formally recognised. 

"We didn't know if he was alive or not and I remember texting my friends and saying 'I know my brother he's going to be a hero','" Aya said.  

She then heard from survivors of Al Noor that was the case. Since then, Aya has been on a non-stop quest to see her brother's heroism honoured. 

"Four years of hard work from my end, it was exhausting."  

Early on, Aya fought to see the CCTV of her brother's actions inside Al Noor that day, and what she saw is that when the terrorist arrived spraying bullets everywhere, while most ran away, Hussein was the first person who charged towards him angrily.  

The young man who left that day to peacefully pray, died a hero, trying to protect others. 

It's been four years of his sister trying to get this recognised.

"Hundreds of emails later, multiple communications," she said. 

"Lastly, can you also confirm that the police, through you, have indicated that you will nominate Mr Hussein Al Umari for a bravery reward?" lawyer Anne Toohey asked. 

"That's correct, yes," a police officer told the inquest.

"Through the Department of the Prime Minister?" Toohey asked.

"Yes," the officer replied. 

This news is what made Aya do the bravest thing she's ever done. 

"This is for Hussein, for my brother," she said, moments before jumping off Auckland's Sky Tower. 

"It was almost like a reward for me, and I know Hussein is looking up there and clapping at my bravery as well," Aya said. 

The gruelling coronial inquest has two weeks left, but it's already given Hussein's family the one thing they've been asking for. 

"Almost gives a form of closure or moving forward," she said. 

Her brother is her hero, and now a hero of this country. 

"I'm just so proud of my brother, his bravery," Aya said. "I am so happy I was able to document his legacy."