Posted on 10/17/2002 6:44:16 AM PDT by dead
"I love you Shane." "I love you too, mum." These were the last words my beautiful son Shane and I said to each other at the end of his telephone call last Friday night.
It's the way both my sons Shane and Todd and I always made our goodbyes - a long-standing ritual from the time of the hugs and kisses goodnight when they were babies.
It has been so hard for Todd and his fiancee Melissa Blowes, for Shane's grandparents, Betty and John Kelly, and for me as we are all from Sydney now living on the Gold Coast. At the moment we are missing the hugs of our very closest friends and the physical sharing of grief with Shane and Todd's friends and other victims' families.
We have had wonderful long-distance support, and Todd, Melissa and I will be at Coogee for the memorial on Sunday which will help so much.
Todd has always been a Coogee Dolphins player until his move up here in July. Only for that I am sure he would have gone along with the boys. He and Shane have always been inseparable. Todd has lost not only his brother and best friend, but another five of his closest mates.
I truly feel I was blessed to have Shane and to have Todd, who could so easily have been with him in Bali. They are the finest of young men.
I do know Shane was really happy the week before this nightmare happened. He phoned me on the Tuesday night to tell me how great it was to have had Todd down in Sydney to stay with him over the long weekend for the wedding of one of their mates. He was happy in his personal life. He and Pascale Saad had purchased their unit and he was anxious for me to come to Sydney to see it. He gave me dates they had booked to fly up for Christmas.
Work was going well. He loved his job at the Lakes golf course and was looking forward to his added responsibility during that week while his boss was on holiday, and he talked a little about the coming trip to Bali.
His Friday night call again was all up and good news. The work week had gone well, he was pleased with what he had achieved, he was very happy and he loved us all very much.
My darling Shane, I love you too so very, very much.
Mum
(Cynthia Foley)
My name is Shaun Malligan, I live in Jakarta and attend the Jakarta International School. At first, this event was merely something to be watched on television, a surreal, unexplainable horror.
Yet, sadly this worldwide catastrophe has affected me and every member of my school and community with the loss of a beloved friend, teacher, coach, and an overall great man, Jamie Wellington.
I have known him for 5 years, as both a rugby coach, teacher, and friend; I have known no teacher as well as he. Jamie had three simple passions in life, his family, his friends, and his rugby.
He was utterly devoted to his wife, Analisa, and his two baby daughters, Annabelle and Josephine.
He also lived for his friends; both his strongly-knit team at the ISCI Rugby club, his colleagues and students, and his countless friends in the Jakarta Community.
Lastly, he lived for his rugby, as he was a die-hard All-Blacks fan and totally committed to his own club side, the ISCI Komodos, whom he travelled to Bali with for a weekend tournament.
Jamie was an extrovert; he performed in little kids' plays, he wore bright red shoes at practice, and loved being around people, yet was also religious, sensitive, caring, and honest.
There are endless things to say about this great all around man, but as what happens in real life, and as what happened in this tragic event, all good things come to an end.
Jamie will be missed by all, especially his colleagues, friends, students, and family.
Jamie - I'll miss you mate.
From a good friend,
Shaun Malligan (16)
Year 11, Jakarta International School
P.S. They play rugby in heaven.
My name is Curtis Borman, and I am an American currently attending the Jakarta International School.
On Sunday, I, along with our entire school community discovered that a good friend, James (Jamie) Wellington was missing.
Jamie was a good friend, a great teacher, and a great coach. He was always willing to sit and chat, about anything.
I remember talking to him about the upcoming rugby season, and his tournament in Bali just on Wednesday.
He taught with passion, as he truly loved teaching, perhaps even as much as he loved coaching.
Jamie was a devoted family man, as a glance at his desk, which is covered with photos of his wife and two baby daughters, will tell.
Jamie was just an all around nice guy, and it was a pleasure to know him.
Thanks for everything Jamie, We'll miss you,
Your Friend/Student/Player Curtis Borman
October 17 2002
Late yesterday afternoon, we discovered that one of our dearest friends was killed in the Bali blast. His name was Clive Walton. We met him several years ago whilst we were living in Singapore.
He was a keen rugby player and was on a rugby tour from Hong Kong when he perished.
He was one of the most charismatic, wonderful and funny people that we have ever met.
He was a practical joker extraordinaire and always had a funny story, which would leave your stomach aching and face wet with tears.
He always made you feel special and loved. He was one of those people in life that you can't imagine not being around.
It was just a given that he would always be there - making us smile.
A friend of ours said last night "the world has lost a bright spark".
The first time we met Clive was during an Austin Powers party that we had in Singapore a few years ago.
He turned up at the party in full Austin Powers style ... clad only in a pair of red underpants with the Union Jack painted on the bum, Austin glasses, wig and teeth and with a rug on his chest. What a first meeting!
We had a video security system in our apartment at the time and when he rang our doorbell, Jason said "Leanne, I don't know who on earth this guy is, but you're going to love his costume!".
Not only did we love the costume, but we also love that man.
We were looking at photos from the party last night and crying and laughing at this amazing person. I have attached a photo of Clive from the party.
He wouldn't have wanted people to be sad for him, but instead to be remembered for being the funny, silly and irreverent individual that he was.
He is survived by his wife Ariane Walton and a world full of friends.
Yours sincerely
Leanne Stone & Jason Konstas
I am writing to wish Christine a happy 30th birthday which is today - 17th October, 2002.
I only wish she could be here to celebrate her birthday.
I know Christine touched the lives of so many people in one way or another, she will be very sadly missed.
To all of those who knew her, remember her smile, remember her charm, remember how much she loved her food and would never put a kilo on, remember the bad habit she had of always having a mobile phone to her ear, remember how much she loved to dance.
Smile like she did because Christine would never have wanted us to be sad. Keep her in your hearts as I will. Antonella Fedele
The thought had never crossed my mind that I may never see my dear friend, Christina, again.
Chrissy is the type of girl who makes new friends wherever she goes. People are drawn to her for many reasons. She has a mischievous smile, a contagious laugh and a great sense of humour, but most of all, she has a heart of gold.
Chrissy is the type of girl who puts people before herself - always. She is the most caring person I know and when she offers to help you, you know that she really means it from the bottom of her heart. She is an accepting girl who befriends people indiscriminately and is of strong will and character.
Chrissy told me she was looking forward to not spending her 30th birthday in Sydney. It is her birthday this Thursday the 17th.
She always lives her life to the fullest and is an extraordinary girl who lives an ordinary life, relishing in family, friendships and good times spent with these people.
She has so much motivation and enthusiasm and is always the one to kick me in the backside, to get out there and do something when I "whinged".
I know I speak for so many who know Christina Betmalik. I hope we have the privilege of seeing her beautiful smiling face again.
I'm still writing in the present tense, as deep in my heart I am hoping Chrissy is still with us.
Life won't be the same if she doesn't come back.
Maybe if I thought this could be the case, I wouldn't have deleted the last message she left on my answering machine, jokingly cursing me for not being there to pick up the phone.
I will always have great memories of Chrissy - The most vivid ones are of sharing hysterical laughter together and just chatting about life in general. No one can ever take these from me.
To all of those people who have lost loved ones, are still yet to learn the fate of their loved ones and to those of whom survived the ordeal and now have to deal with the painful reminders, mental, emotional and physical scars, my heart goes out to you all.
Lilian Delia
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