Joshua Hardy should still be here today.
The 21 year old should have gone to uni today. He should have caught up with his mates after class. He should be counting down the weeks until the semester ends and the summer holidays begin.
But Joshua Hardy is not here and his family is broken.
Hardy – described on social media as “generous”, “a great friend” and “a top bloke” – was attacked outside McDonalds on Melbourne’s St Kilda road just after 1am on Saturday morning.
Fairfax Media reported that the Melbourne University Bachelor of Arts student was taken to The Alfred hospital but died shortly after 2am.
ANZ investment banker Kyle Zandipour, 27, has been charged over Hardy’s death and a second man was questioned and released after the incident – which, according to police, was unprovoked.
“I just think it’s enough – enough already,” Hardy’s aunt Kim Hardy told Mamamia.
Ms Hardy described her nephew as a happy-go-lucky, playful young man who was always joking around.
“Always joking around, always a smile on his face. Really a kind kid, really soft-hearted, she said.
In the hours prior to the attack Hardy had been celebrating the end of semester on campus with his younger sister Rebecca and some friends, according to Fairfax.
The pair, originally from Darwin, lived at Trinity College in Parkville and attended the university on scholarships.
They were “inseparable” his aunt said.
“They were together all the time, just so close. He couldn’t stand the thought of this little sister being in trouble, if she did something wrong he’d say ‘I’ll take the blame’.
“He just had the most beautiful heart.”
Ms Hardy says that Joshua’s death is an example of why we need to work harder to end the violence on streets in Australia.
Top Comments
I realise I didn't know him but there's something about his photos that make me feel that he was a really nice guy , something in his eyes, as a result I find this case very upsetting. It also makes me wonder if he is indigenous (he looks indigenous to me) and if that is why he was targeted, and that makes me so sad too because maybe this the crap these people have to put up with.
No, young men (and women) need to stop getting shitfaced on drugs and alcohol when they go out on the town.