Heartwarming footage of a young paramedic who was killed weeks after his wedding shows him celebrating the happiest day of his life with loved ones.
NSW Ambulance paramedic and former nurse Steven Tougher, 29, was allegedly stabbed multiple times in the carpark of a McDonald’s in Campbelltown, southwest Sydney at about 5.30am on Friday.
It’s understood he was nearing the end of a long night shift and was finishing off paperwork in the back of his van in the McDonald’s carpark when a stranger allegedly lunged at him with a knife and repeatedly stabbed him in the stomach.
Mr Tougher and his colleague had been ‘working hard all night’ and were taking a meal break at the time.
As police rushed to the scene and arrested his alleged attacker, Mr Tougher was rushed to Liverpool Hospital in a critical condition where he later died.
His alleged attacker, 21, was charged with murder late Friday night and will face court on Saturday.
The tragic news comes just five weeks after Mr Tougher married the love of his life, Madison – who is due to give birth to their second child in the coming weeks.
Excited family members shared videos and photos of the happy bride and groom on the special day on social media, completely unaware tragedy would soon strike.
Paramedic Steven Tougher (right) married the love of his life, Madison (left), just four weeks before he was stabbed to death outside a southwest Sydney McDonald’s
Family and friends shared photos of the beautiful ceremony and fun moments from the night (pictured, Mr Tougher dancing with a family member)
‘Mr and Mrs Tougher,’ the groom proudly posted the following day.
Footage and photos show the couple doing their wedding waltz, celebrating with loved ones and on the dancefloor with guests.
‘We could not be more proud of our boy on his wedding day,’ his mum wrote at the time.
‘What a magical day!’
Mr Tougher’s tragic death has sparked an outpouring of tributes from grief-stricken friends and colleagues, along with messages of support for his wife and family.
Many have changed their profile photo to the NSW Ambulance logo surrounded by angel wings in honour of the fallen paramedic.
‘Life isn’t fair. Life is too short. Especially to you Steven Tougher,’ one woman wrote.
‘I remember our days as you being a cadet, being that absolute keen bean wanting to take over patients and being involved as much as possible – to finally becoming a nurse and then paramedic as your dream job became true.
‘To Mr and Mrs Tougher, I am so sorry for the loss of your son.
‘Madison, I can’t begin to imagine what pain you are going through right now. Just know that he will be with every future moment of your life sitting in your heart.’
A former nursing colleague added: Such a tragic loss I can’t believe your gone, I remember your first days starting nursing at Lawrence Hargraves as an AIN, you said from the start I want to be a paramedic and that’s just what you did, you worked so hard to get there because your passion was to help other, such a kind and caring soul. My heart breaks for all you family and many many friends and colleague.’
One friend wrote: ‘No words can explain how unfair this is. Steven Tougher you sir were truly an angel that lived amongst us and what has happened to you is beyond devastating.
‘Mate I know it’s a pretty generic line that’s thrown around a lot in times like these, however in regards to you it’s absolutely on the money: ‘Buddy it was a blessing to have known you and be blessed to have experienced the warmth of your beautiful soul.’
‘Rest easy big fella.’
It’s understood Mr Tougher was filling out paperwork for the end of his night shift when he was stabbed in the back of his ambulance (above)
Mr and Mrs Tougher (above) were set to welcome a new baby in the upcoming weeks – a fundraiser has been started to help their family
Homicide detectives charged a 21-year-old man arrested at the scene of the attack (above) with murder late Friday night
Another wrote: ‘My heart is broken. For you, for the life you were to have with Madison, for your family but most of all for the world that is now left without you in it.
‘Thank you for the friendship, support and memories. You made nursing and uni so much fun.
‘All you wanted was to be a paramedic mate – you made it and I am so sorry this happened to you.’
Police arrested the 21-year-old alleged attacker at the scene.
Late Friday night, homicide detectives charged the man with murder.
He was refused bail and is set to appear in Parramatta Local Court on Saturday.
NSW Police Deputy Commissioner Mal Lanyon told reporters earlier on Friday the man may have been driving around the Ingleburn and Campbelltown areas in a blue Honda Jazz Civic prior to the incident and urged the public to come forward if they had seen the vehicle.
He added a motive was yet to be identified in the seemingly random attack.
Investigations as part of Strike Force Tarpaulin continue.
‘NSW Police would like to commend the actions of the emergency services and members of the public who rendered first aid and assistance at the scene,’ a statement added.
NSW Ambulance Commissioner Dominic Morgan met with Madison in the hours after the attack as well as Mr Tougher’s mother, father and sister and said they are ‘beside themselves’.
He said Mr Tougher’s father told him he knew from the age of five that he wanted to be a paramedic.
‘He wanted nothing more than to serve his community,’ Commissioner Morgan said.
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‘He’d been with us for a relatively short period of time and had recently found out that he’d been posted back to southwest Sydney.
‘I’m told he was so pleased that he was going to be able to stay here and bring up his family.’
Commissioner Morgan also sent well wishes to Mr Tougher’s family and coworkers.
‘I have such respect for the way that (Mr Tougher’s family) are working through their grief, and am wishing such great things for the man’s paramedic colleagues who valiantly worked to resuscitate and save their paramedic colleague’s life — unfortunately, it was not to be,’ he said.
Mr Tougher was set to go on paternity leave soon with his and his wife Maddison’s new baby set to arrive in a few weeks (pictured, Mr and Mrs Tougher leaving their wedding together in mid-March)
NSW Ambulance Commissioner Dominic Morgan met with Madison and Mr Tougher’s family in the hours after the attack and sad they were ‘beside themselves’ (pictured, Steven and Madison Tougher on their wedding day in mid-March)
Mr Tougher became a paramedic intern in May, 2022, and was just weeks away from going on paternity leave when he was killed.
It’s understood the 29-year-old and his colleague were nearing the end of their night shift when they stopped at McDonald’s for a quick coffee run.
It was there that Mr Tougher was allegedly stabbed multiple times in the abdomen with a knife at about 5.30am.
A GoFundMe for Mr Tougher’s widow by her colleagues has been created to help support her and their shattered family.
‘Madison is due to have her second child in a few short weeks,’ the fundraiser reads.
‘We hope any funds raised through this platform can go to support Madison and her family during this extremely difficult time.
‘We extend our deepest condolences to Madison and her young family. We are thinking of you.’
The fundraiser raised more than $106,000 within nine hours.
The page added Mr Tougher’s family has requested privacy.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese expressed his sympathies for Mr Tougher’s family and called for paramedics to be treated with more respect.
‘The death of a paramedic in Sydney this morning is as shocking as it is tragic,’ he said.
‘All Australians send our sympathies and condolences to his loved ones, friends and colleagues.
‘To every frontline worker, you are valued. You keep us safe. You deserve to be safe at work.’
Mr Tougher studied at Charles Sturt University where he was the President of the online Student Representative Committee and graduated from his paramedicine degree in mid-2022.
Mr Tougher studied at Charles Sturt University and graduated from his paramedicine degree in mid-2022 (pictured, Mr and Mrs Tougher at his graduation)
NSW Police received a code one call at about 5.30am on Friday when Mr Tougher was repeatedly stabbed in the abdomen (pictured, police at the scene on Friday)
Before his graduation, Mr Tougher worked at Wollongong Private Hospital as a nurse.
Former colleague Tanya Selak shared a heartbreaking tribute to him after he was identified as the victim of the viscous attack.
‘Before he was a paramedic, Steven Tougher was our anaesthetic nurse,’ she said.
‘Kind, gentle, optimistic, warm. Our patients loved his cheeky grin.
‘Our Wollongong community is numb, shocked, devastated. I can’t believe it. Thinking of his family at this horrible time.
‘Rest easy mate.’
Mr Tougher’s death has caused a massive outpouring of grief from the healthcare community who say selfless workers shouldn’t have to risk their safety for while on the job.
NSW Health Secretary Susan Pearce broke down in tears as she expressed sympathy for the victim’s family.
‘The health system is one big family and to lose someone in this way is just incomprehensible to us,’ she said
‘And to lose someone in this way is incomprehensible to us.
‘I would like to extend my deepest condolences to the wife and family of the paramedic.’
Ms Pearce said the state’s health system has been through a lot over these past few years and she was proud of all workers who have continued to show up every day to help other members of the community.
NSW Health Minister Ryan Park issued his deepest condolensces to Mr Tougher’s shattered family, friends and colleagues.
‘Our paramedics have been some of the heroes of the pandemic over the last few years and to have one of their own lose their life in this way is without a doubt a heavy burden for all of them to carry and my thoughts are with our paramedics and emergency call responders across NSW,’ he told the Saturday Telegraph.
‘I have had a number of discussions with Commissioner Morgan and the Secretary Susan Pearce and collectively as a health family we will wrap all available resources and support around the family and colleagues over the coming days, weeks and months.
‘Today is a tragic day for the people of NSW and a reminder of the dangers our emergency service personnel can confront every day.’
Mr Tougher (above) had reportedly dreamt of being a paramedic since he was five years old but was tragically killed just months after joining the NSW Ambulance team
It’s believed police will allege Mr Tougher was in the back of an ambulance when the knifeman opened the sliding door and stabbed him multiple times (pictured, police at the scene)
