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Australian Nurse Killed After Running to Help Victims of London Bridge Terror Attack

"Helping people was what she loved to do".
Metropolitan Police

A heroic nurse who ran toward the carnage of the London Bridge terror attack to help has been named as one of those who died.

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Kirsty Boden, 28, was from South Australia and worked at London’s Guy’s Hospital, located near the scene where three attackers careened a white van into pedestrians.

Seven people died and 48 were injured in the attacks. All three suspects were shot dead by police at the scene.

In a statement, Boden’s family said: “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. Helping people was what she loved to do in her job as a nurse and in her daily life.”

(Credit: Metropolitan Police)
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“As she ran towards danger, in an effort to help people on the bridge, Kirsty sadly lost her life,” her family continued. “We are so proud of Kirsty’s brave actions, which demonstrate how selfless, caring and heroic she was, not only on that night, but throughout all of her life. Kirsty we love you and we will miss you dearly. We will not be making any further comments on this tragedy and ask everyone, especially the media, to give us the privacy we need to grieve away from the public eye.”

Hospital officials, where Boden worked as a staff nurse, honored her in a tribute.

Dame Eileen Sills, Chief Nurse at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, said in a statement, “As the Chief Nurse of Guy’s and St Thomas’ I cannot put into words how sad I am that we have lost one of our own.”

Women lay flowers at a pedestrian crossing on the south side of London Bridge. (Credit: Getty)
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“Kirsty was an outstanding nurse and a hugely valued member of the staff team in Theatres Recovery, described by her colleagues as ‘one in a million’ who always went the extra mile for the patients in her care,” Sills said. “Our thoughts at this time are with her family, her loved ones and our staff who have lost a dear friend and colleague.”

Danny Mortimer, an executive with the National Health Service, also commemorated Boden in a statement.

He said in part, “It is truly humbling that bright, hard-working people like Kirsty were brave enough to run towards danger in aid of victims lying helpless on the bridge following such a barbaric attack.”

 Khuram Shazad Butt, 27, and 30-year-old Rachid Redouane were initially named as two of the suspects, London’s Metropolitan Police said Monday. On Tuesday, police also named 22-year-old Youssef Zaghba — a Moroccan-Italian — as the third man involved.

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According to authorities, the men drove a white van into pedestrians on London Bridge at about 10:10 p.m. local time Saturday. The men were armed with knives and then left their vehicle to stab “numerous people” in the area of nearby Borough Market, police said.

This article originally appeared on PEOPLE

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