Westfield Bondi Junction: Son pays tribute to Bernard Gore

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Bernard Gore was found in a stairwell at Westfield's Bondi Junction on Friday
'He was a strong and resilient man... he wasn't frail,' his son Mark Gore said
Investigation is underway to figure out just how the tragedy occurred
Westfield issued a statement extending its 'deepest condolences' to his family

By Daniel Piotrowski for Daily Mail Australia

Published: 23:03 EST, 29 January 2017 | Updated: 23:24 EST, 29 January 2017

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Tragic discovery: Bernard 'Butch' Gore, 71, had dementia and was without his medication. His body was found in a stairwell on Friday morning

The son of the elderly man found dead in a stairwell at Sydney's Westfield Bondi Junction has paid tribute to his father as his family wait for answers on just how he wasn't found for three weeks.

The body of Bernard 'Butch' Gore, 71, was found in a stairwell at the major shopping centre about 8.30am on Friday morning, devastating relatives who had spent weeks trying to find him.

'Our dad was not frail,' his son Mark Gore told Daily Mail Australia on Monday. 'He was a strong and resilient man.'

Mr Gore said reports his father - a barber who still cut his friends' hair to this day - was 'confused' were not correct.

Westfield is facing questions on how Mr Gore's body went undiscovered for such a long time - in a time where temperatures skyrocketed to the mid-40s.

But the family said they are grieving and waiting for the results of the investigation before they pass judgment.

'We're just not there at the moment,' Mr Gore said.

Known as 'Butch' to his mates, Mr Gore was originally from Tasmania and had been staying with his daughter at Ocean Street in Woollahra in the weeks before his disappearance.

'He was a strong and resilient man,' said Bernard Gore's son Mark (pictured)

Police are seen outside the fire stairwell at Bondi Junction where Bernard 'Butch' Gore's body was discovered on Friday morning

Police, emergency services and family had launched a mammoth effort to find Bernard 'Butch' Gore. His body was finally found on Friday morning

He went missing carrying only $30 and his transport Opal card when he did not turn up to meet his family at the shopping centre on January 6.

Mr Gore's family and police had pleaded for information leading to his safe return in recent weeks.

'My father would not want to bother anyone if he was lost, and I think it's unlikely he'd approach a stranger for help,' Mark said at a press conference on January 10.

'I hope someone will notice him alone and ask if he needed help; he'd probably say he was fine but people need to contact police if they think it is him.'

Search parties had scoured nearby Centennial Park after reported sightings.

He had successfully made the journey between home and the shopping centre several times before.

The police rescue unit worked with local cops, officers on horseback and police helicopters to scour Centennial Park for the missing Mr Gore - but unfortunately he was not found

Police officers swarmed the Westfield complex in Sydney's east on Friday after the shocking discovery in the fire stairwell

Detectives (left, right) are seen here huddling outside the fire escape where Mr Gore's body was found on Friday morning

Police blocked off the fire escape as shocked shoppers arrived at Westfield Bondi Junction early on Friday

On Friday, the body was found in the fire escape near the level three access close to luxury stores such as Scotch and Soda, Chanel, Jimmy Choo and Leona Edmiston.

A maintenance worker was the first to locate the body, reports said.

The body is understood to have been there for a number of days and was decomposed.

His death is not being treated as suspicious.

In a statement on Friday afternoon, NSW Police said although the body had not formally been identified, investigators believed it to be Mr Gore.

Police will investigate the death and prepare a report for the Coroner.

A spokeswoman for Westfield's parent company, Scentre Group, offered their 'deepest condolences to the family of the man found today at Westfield Bondi Junction.'

'Investigations are still underway to determine exactly how these sad and tragic circumstances could have occurred, and Scentre Group will continue to work with police in their investigations,' she said.