The family of Sara Zelenak say they are distraught after the 21-year-old au pair was identified as the second young Australian woman to die in Saturday’s terror attack in London.
Ms Zelenak had been reported missing after she became separated from a friend on London Bridge.
She had been working as an au pair with a London family, and was given Saturday night off after the grandmother of the children she looked after came to stay with them.
Ms Zelenak’s mother, Julie, and her step-father, Mark Wallace, travelled from Brisbane to the UK on Monday. Late on Wednesday in Australia they announced that they had been formally notified of their daughter’s death.
Mr Wallace had called every hospital in London from Australia to see if she had been admitted but there was no trace of her.
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Mrs Wallace later wrote on Facebook that her daughter had died in the attack. Her body was identified through DNA analysis.
“Our beautiful daughter Sara Zelenak has been confirmed dead,” she wrote, including two photos of a smiling Sara at the airport with her brother, as she headed off for the trip of a lifetime.
“Sara was so excited about her European & UK adventure. This photo was the day she left, 10th March. Harrison and I cried on the way home.
“She missed us all & was so excited to catch up with us in Paris on the 30th of June for 5 days.”
After meeting up with her family, Sara was due to go on a trip around Europe, before returning home to Brisbane on August 8.
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“Unfortunately [her life was] cut short by a senseless act of terrorism,” Mrs Wallace said. “It makes no sense.”
Ms Zelenak’s mother told an Australian radio station on Monday that her daughter had planned to go to Ariana Grande’s Manchester Arena concert where 22 people were killed by a suicide bomber, and had visited Westminster Bridge around the time of the previous atrocity in which five people died.
The one with the policeman being stabbed three months ago, she was there the day before in the exact same spot,” Julie Wallace said.
“She was going to go to the Ariana Grande concert. Everything she’s just missed.”
Ms Zelenak’s aunt Tara Abela paid tribute to her niece, who she described as a beautiful and happy woman.
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“We are all so distraught that we have lost our little Sara,” she said.
“She is the most beautiful, funny, happy, positive young lady with so much to live for and it was taken away too early.
“You can lose faith in humanity at these dark times but myself and the family has been so grateful for those around us and complete strangers offering any help or assistance.”
“Julie just wants to bring her home now.”
Tributes to Ms Zelenak, who grew up on Brisbane’s Bayside, have begun pouring in online.
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Her friend Sam Hetherington wrote on Facebook: “I can’t believe we don’t get to grow old together. Just Thursday I messaged you and you told me everything will always work out.”
Another friend Sophie Clark added: “Such a beautiful, fun soul. RIP beautiful girl, you will be dearly missed!”
Her high school, Moreton Bay College, wrote on Facebook that their “hearts are broken”.
“Sara was a positive, popular student who always had a smile on her face,” the school wrote.
“She embodied the values of Moreton Bay College and was adored by her peers and staff. This is how she will be forever remembered.”
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On Tuesday night, the family of South Australian woman, Kirsty Boden, 28, confirmed her death.
She had been working as a nurse at Guy’s Hospital at London Bridge.
The Metropolitan Police released a statement on behalf of Ms Boden’s family, saying: “Kirsty was loved and adored by her family, friends and boyfriend”.
“She was the most outgoing, kind and generous person who loved to help people,” the statement read.
“Helping people was what she loved to do in her job as a nurse and in her daily life.”
Two other Australians were stabbed in the neck in the attack: Candice Hedge, 34, of Brisbane and Andrew Morrison, 28, of Darwin.
Ms Hedge required surgery and Mr Morrison required stitches.