Earlier you read the fascinating and colourful story about the Naracoorte Bat
Cave, and here June tells another tale – heart-wrenching and sadly, all too
true, about what happened that horrific evening when a terrorist attack killed
so many innocent tourists and holiday makers in Bali.
TERROR IN BALI - OCTOBER 2002
Brother Ron and his wife Beverly flew out to Bali on Thursday to support Bev'sdaughter Jenny, son-in-law Alan and grandson Aaron. They went to attend the
memorial service to honour those killed and injured in the bombings at Kuta's Sari
Club and Paddy's Bar.
Alan had been 19 years old when he had returned to Bali with seven mates for a
surfing carnival, mates he'd had since he was in primary school. To get into the
mood, he'd even dyed the tips of his hair blond. That twelfth night of October 2002,
they'd all gone to Paddy's Bar - Aaron hoping to meet with a girl he met the year
before. It was a fun night.
Then the first bomb exploded.
Afterwards, five of the friends struggled out of the bar, but realised three others were
still inside They all went back in to find them, Aaron's particular friend going back to
where they'd been standing together just prior to the bomb blast. It was chaos! The
place was on fire, the roof had collapsed, the lights were out, but he saw a little
glimpse of blonded hair, under debris and bodies and knew he'd found Aaron. Not
realising he had his hand in a hole in Aaron's neck he carried him out of the place.
His mates brought out the others, one of them also rescuing two Japanese girls by
getting them to hang onto the shirt of the person he was carrying.
Aaron was carried in his friend's arms until they finally found a young Balinese,
Bintok, to transport him to a hospital on his motorbike. Poor Bintok thought Aaron
was dead.
My brother rang me early the next day. They'd been told Aaron had been injured and
that his mates had got him to hospital, but that now in all the confusion they couldn't
find him.
Then one of Aaron's friends was also hospitalised. When he gave his details, they
told him someone was there from the same place. It was marvellous! Aaron had
been found after 24 hours.
He was later flown to Darwin on the second Hercules plane bringing back the
wounded to Australia. Before he arrived in Perth, he was operated on in Bali, then on
the tarmac at their airport and also in Darwin - and after that more operations in
Perth. He had shrapnel wounds to the nape of the neck, still causing co-ordination
problems, shrapnel wounds to the stomach and hip, hearing damage and severe
burns to both legs, and he faced further operations in Perth. But he was alive!
Those eight young men now have an unbreakable bond. They each have a tattoo on
their wrists where it will be covered by a watch - a circle, representing a circle of
friends, which will never be broken.
Aaron and his father recently took advantage of an offer by the Australian
Government to return to Bali, expenses paid, as part of the healing process. They
went, after a lot of angst, to try to find closure. Aaron even fronted up in court to face
those who'd so damaged him. He still has to have physiotherapy, but has returned to
work full time. He is a brave young man - but will never again physically or mentally
be that innocent 19-year old who went to a surfing carnival in Kuta. Now he and his
family are back in Bali to attend the memorial service and are due to meet with Bintok
and the Australian couple who fanned him for 24 hours in the Bali hospital.
Who would have known that dyeing the tips of your hair blonde could save your life?
Postscript: Later, the Australian Government awarded one of Aaron's friends
the highest bravery award and the four others were given commendations for
their bravery during the Bali bombing.