Twenty years later, a Bali bombing survivor who gave a famous interview said, “it was a complete fraud, I fabricated everything.”
But Peter Hughes, one of three terrorist bomb victims on the tourist island on October 12, 2002, had excellent cause to lie.
Hughes was shocked with 50% burns. He did not want his family to worry about his 5% survival rate.
Hughes discussed the attack with Channel Nine correspondent Mark Burrows from his hospital bed.
To be honest, it was just a bang, crash, and fire—something out of the ordinary.
Hughes praised medical workers and volunteers for his care.
‘There are worse individuals than me,’ he remarked.
I’m just swollen.
Uncomplaining.
Peter Hughes (left) conducted a famous 2002 Channel Nine interview from a Bali hospital bed with 50% burns.
Two decades later, Mr. Hughes was clearly upset and only wanted to reassure his family.
He believed he would die.
He was critically injured, coma-bound, and nearly died.
Mr. Hughes told Channel Nine on Wednesday that the 20th anniversary of the bombings was “a little bit overwhelming” but that he felt “fortunate” to be alive.
Burrows was Mr. Hughes’ “sole route back to my son and all my family, my friends” at the time.
Despite his interview confidence, he believed he would die.
‘Mark being Mark, he fronted up and said he’d get a message back to my son and I completed the interview.
I lied about everything.
Hope was all around me. “I was only there to hang on and wish everyone the same thing,” he said.
Bali bombings:
Three Bali bombs exploded at 11pm on October 12, 2002.
Two of them hit crowded nightclubs, the Sari Club and Paddy’s Bar, while another exploded outside the American consulate.
202 people died, including 88 Australians, and hundreds were injured.
Jemaah Islamiyah committed the attacks.
Smoke rises from the debris at the site of a bomb attack in Kuta, Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia, in October 2002.
He thanked his medical providers again, as he did 20 years before.
After the attacks, survivors were directed to Darwin, Adelaide, and Perth. I realized that the medical professionals, first responders, and excellent doctors from each of those areas did all the job.
I constantly say I live in the most amazing country in the world and I wouldn’t be alive without these folks. He said many people at that time would have died.
“They tried their bloody best and did what they could,” Mr. Hughes added.
Mark Burrows interviewed Peter Hughes in a hospital after the 2002 Bali bombings.
He was “very humbled” by everyone’s efforts to rescue lives in Bali and Australia.
‘Even standing here 20 years on in Bali… it’s just to basically pay my respects to everyone that performed a terrific job.’
Allison Langdon of Channel Nine reported that Mr. Hughes begged his son to let him go since his burns were so painful.
It’s the worst harm to inflict. That’s wrong. “I imagine… a burns patient will stay in hospital longer than anyone,” he remarked.
The 20th anniversary of the 2002 Bali bombings was commemorated at Coogee Beach in Sydney on Wednesday, October 12, 2022, with flowers next to the victims’ names.
At this time, Mr. Hughes acknowledged burns specialists Dr. John Greenwood in Adelaide and former Australian of the Year Dr. Fiona Wood in Perth.
‘They just do stuff that we couldn’t even think of,’ he remarked.
“To try and return a person back to normal, back to the same look, is just wonderful.”
Two Australian women who lost three parents in the Bali bombings lay flowers at 20th anniversary ceremony as John Howard and Penny Wong break down.
At a 20th anniversary commemoration on Wednesday, former prime minister John Howard and Foreign Minister Penny Wong cried.
On October 12, 2002, terrorist explosions at Kuta nightclubs killed 202 people, including 88 Australians.
Twenty years later, Mr. Howard was overcome with emotion at a Canberra service.
At a similar service in Sydney, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese termed the Bali bombings a “act of malice and premeditated wickedness” and said Australians still hurt.
On October 12, 2022, Candice Buchan and her best friend Ashleigh Airlie laid flowers at the Bali Bombing Memorial at Dolphins Point, Coogee Beach. The blast orphaned Ms Buchan and murdered Ms Airlie’s mother.
John Howard comforts a woman in Canberra, Australia, on October 12, 2022.
Families who lost children, parents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and acquaintances remember death and debris.
Mr. Albanese attended a memorial at Dolphin’s Point in eastern Sydney for the six Coogee Dolphins Rugby League Club players who died in the blasts.
In an impassioned statement on Wednesday, he said, ‘For most of us, what happened on that tragic night is beyond imagining.
The abrupt dreadful light and darkness. Fire’s terrible ending.
He stated the attack stole many people’s futures and scarred others for life.
The Kingsley Football Club, Southport Sharks, Dulwich Hill Newtown Basketball Club, and Coogee Dolphins were among the victims.
Candice Buchan and her best friend Ashleigh Airlie left flowers at Coogee. They and their families were bombed at 15 and 14.
Candice lost her parents Steve and Gerardine and aunt Cathy Seelin. She recovered. Gayle died.
Penny Wong (center) wipes away emotions at a Canberra event commemorating the 2002 Bali bombings.
Opposition leader Peter Dutton, Premier of New South Wales Dominic Perrottet, and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese attend the Bali Bombing Memorial at Dolphins Point, Coogee Beach in Sydney on October 12, 2022.
A memorial ceremony in Sydney, Australia, honors the victims of the 2002 Bali bombing, which killed 202 people, largely foreign tourists, including 88 Australians.
Australian Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs Tim Watts carries a wreath at the 20th anniversary of the Bali bombing at the Australian Consulate in Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia, October 12, 2022.
A memorial service in Sydney, Australia, honoring the victims of the 2002 Bali bombing, which killed 202 people, including 88 Australians, releases doves on October 12, 2022.
On the bombings’ 10th anniversary, Ms Buchan said: “When you see the photos they show (on the television), the flames, I just can’t believe that we were there and we’ve seen it.
‘I still don’t believe it and understand that we survived that, and endured such a catastrophe,’ she told The Australian.
“Fortunately my best friend went through the same same thing as me, so we have each other,” Ms. Airlie added. Daily struggles continue. However, you have supportive friends.
Ms. Buchan didn’t know her strength source.
‘It’s hard to be an only child without parents,’ she said.
Family and friends laid flowers for the victims at Coogee Beach in Sydney on the 20th anniversary of the 2002 Bali bombings.
Two little girls place flowers for victims at Coogee Beach’s 20th anniversary of the 2002 Bali bombings.
A Sydney woman mourns the 2002 Bali bombing victims at Coogee Beach. Her right is Anthony Albanese.
At Coogee Beach, a woman places a flower at the end of a 20th anniversary Bali bombing commemorative event.
But they both worked hard and were strong, and obviously there’s nothing I can do, they’re not here, and I just have to work hard and make them proud.
Mr Albanese said the terrorists failed because they attacked ‘the wonderful fabric of hopes and ideas and compassion and justice that make us who we are as Australians’.
‘The worst circumstances brought out the best in people. Compassion, selflessness, and heroism resulted.
They hit a free people’s joy.
“20 years on, so many hearts are still linked to that night,” said Albanese.
Many life currents were stalled that night. “We remember their names and faces,” he said.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese holds 1-year-old Capria Thompson while speaking with family of victims before a memorial event to mark the 20th anniversary of the Bali bombings
John Howard addresses the 20th anniversary of the Bali bombings in Canberra on October 12, 2022.
On October 12, 2022, Indonesian Ambassador to Australia Dr. Siswo Pramono speaks at the Canberra ceremony commemorating the 2002 Bali bombings.
NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet said the Sari Club terrorists failed to instill fear and division.
‘After the assault, we witnessed an outpouring of love, courage and optimism for all Australians,’ he said.
The Premier said the bombing survivors and first responders would eternally own the anniversary.
‘Although all of us may remember that day – we cannot even begin to understand what it feels like to you,’ he said addressing survivors and their loved ones.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese (right) and NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet lay flowers at the Bali Bombing Memorial at Dolphins Point, Coogee Beach.
Family and friends lay flowers for the victims during a ceremony marking the 20th anniversary of the 2002 Bali bombings at Coogee Beach
Nationwide memorial services are held.
Parliament House in Canberra hosted a mourning service and Australian flags flew at half mast nationwide.
At Allambe Memorial Park on the Gold Coast, a twilight service will include a bronze plaque listing the 88 victims.
Robert Thwaites’ parents started the Indonesian-style memorial after his death in the bombings.
20 years later, his father Geoff said the memory was still hard.
25-year-old Bob. He said his future was bright.