Bali Bombing Terrorist Attack- Andrew Csabi "You've got to have a go Mate"

It's a privilege and an honor to have Andrew Csabi as the first guest on GRIT FILES. Andrew shares a detailed account of his experience on ground zero the moment the terrorist bomb exploded at the Sari Club, Bali Indonesia in October 2002. Many lives were lost that night and many more lives were changed permanently. Andrew's story of the trauma experience and the devastating shock and realization of living life as a double amputee is only part of his incredible journey. His experience fostered a love of life, family, and friends beyond measure. Andy feels without their support the outcome could have been very different. This is a true story of resilience, passion, and GRIT. Get ready to be inspired by a true survivor.  If you would like to know more about Andrews story, pick up a copy of his book Bom Bali: Life after Death...ten years on.  Contact: gritfiles@gmail.com

Transcript

spk_0:   0:01
you're listening to grit files. I'm Mark Blood. Work your host. Welcome to file one. Each weekly episode you will meet incredible people from around the world. Each one of these people has been through some traumatic event that has resulted in the loss of a limb these air true storeys of resilience, passion, perseverance and grit. Be aware this does contain graphic content. File one Andrew Choppy, a Bali bombing. Terrorist survivor, successful businessman and double leg amputee. In his words, You've gotta have a go make way to start right away with Tell me about I suppose your life and the direction you're going before the I guess the incident.

spk_1:   0:47
Yeah, well, 35 years of age and, you know, my life was simple. It wass may running a security company enjoying the physical activity is running a security company training guard, dogs, martial arts. And I love running. And I love physical so that you know, sports like surfing and diving in fishing. And I've got a passion for motorbikes. So my life was pretty good. I was working on DH. Some some cases, typically Australian, was working out playing. And, you know, I love my career. And then, of course, you know, my life probably changed. Actually, one year before Bali, when it was ironic, on the 12th of October, which was the Friday in 2001 will actually had a motorcycle accident. And I fractured a C two vertebrae and three back structure's writing more by cupping the Inter land and then hitting into hospital, having my pinned and explaining the motorcycle accident. And my mom was a nurse. So getting back on a bike 12 weeks later, getting back around that corner a lot slower this time. That was the way our old, you know, got knocked down. I get up and life was good. So even with the neck injury, I got back into doing everything I wanted to do. And of course, you know, Gold Coast Junior Chamber of Commerce president, I was networking. My business was growing and, you know, don't turn 30 36 what to make shit way. We want to go on a holiday and we want to go to Bali in October 2002.

spk_0:   2:42
Brain. Right. Well, so you kind of had it laid out for you. Didn't you know? You've worked hard and it's Ah, it's Tze paid off. You got a great business. You survived Maybe a little wake up call with the motorcycle accident. But up until that point, you're just going great guns.

spk_1:   3:02
Yeah, wass And my business is going really well. And it afforded me a holiday with my two mates clean. Cosmo and Glenn forced her. So when they said Look, we want to go to Bali I said, Look, I've got a driving ticket. I wouldn't mind going somewhere else, but they said, Look, two against one. I see great flights, booked a ticket to use my credit card details and let's go three of my mates on a holiday State agents And I thought, You know, what a great time to go. Let's go and have a holiday in the sun, you know, surfing. So look way we didn't go to Bali. Those funny, my actual passport coming into Tempus are Volley was due to expire in January and actually pulled me in the customs office and said, Look, passport, not six months, three months a year on the next flight home and actually in 2002 actually slipped a $15 note across the table and then another one. I gave him $200. The guy stands my passport, and then he let me go through the u a e o. It's ironic that maybe that would have been must say, Saviour, you know, not getting into Bali in that 2002 year. But look, you know, I went through the turnstiles. And what makes you look what happened? What happened? I said, Just let's keep walking. Let's get out of this airport and get to resort, you know, talking the storey. They couldn't believe that I've brought Malena volley, but you know, more full that, like, is the customs officers aware next to $400 us on the way out, ended up on Hercules medical jet, you know, on the return trip to darling.

spk_0:   4:53
Well, I mean, that isn't anything to laugh at that, isn't that Isn't that crazy? What? A storey. So? So maybe we can go straight. Teo, at this stage, let's go straight into it. I mean, I know you know that that was the year that I moved. Just moved to Australia. Actually only been here for probably a month when that happened, but I remember seeing you on television. I see you in an interview. We're on on a stretcher in the interview before, just moments after. Actually actually might have actually been in the hospital at the time, But it was quite something. So just, you know, with drawn up too much. Maybe just give you walk, walk me through what happened there.

spk_1:   5:32
Yeah, well, you're right. Really tragic event. Obviously, we are to queens. And I went Teo Cooter, that hot spot of barley. And we've been to see a band there. We've been seen Jimmy Barnes. You know, a few days before him, he was playing in Bali, but we went into we need Teo nightclub, and then the truth one drinks, you know. And then we decided at 10. 30 would go across the road into the Sari Club way. Got into side club there. What's the same? Is it the other night? It was, you know, 800 people in there. You're in there in a pair of board shorts and runners, and you've got money in your pocket. And you know well, this is going to be a great night until that moment, you know? And then the bombs going off, you know, And my memories of that. The exact moment when that blast happened wass a massive thought to my chest. And then, you know, you're trying onto the dance floor like a rag doll and you're unconscious, you know? And then minutes later, I regained consciousness and, you know, it got so hot. And then I cut canopy. It's fallen in and the whole place was engulfed in fire. And I'm trying to crawl away from the fire and stand up. My left leg's a triangle above ankle right foot, you know? So I start crawling, you know, and it was so hard crawled away from the heat. And luckily, I crawl towards a final club and actually fell into that crater where the car bomb had gone off at the front of the club. For some reason, there weren't too many people around. Me and this guy come out of the darkness. Tony McCain. The route goes, there's guys, like, dig down and they know they dragged me out of that Pierre and across the road. And he was my first angel that night. I sent him my injuries or gambling now and he's actually soldier and it won't take my leg. And on they put me on a piece of corrugated all in and carried me down the lane way. You know, try and join a system further. Amazing,

spk_0:   7:57
Right? Well, so he kind of first responders a maybe kind of potentially saved your life there.

spk_1:   8:04
He did? Yeah. Absolutely. And they wrapped my toes up and a guy wrapped up a T shirt and priest 3 50 more right. Need Teo. Keep that closing was a massive hole in the inside my right knee, but I kept that leg, put him above me left link. And that half right foot is exam potato. Yeah,

spk_0:   8:29
right. Well, well, so I mean, it's not want to relive it there, Andy, but it just happened so quickly as and then all of a sudden you're thinking, OK, I've just got to get out of this isjust Obviously, fire is not a good thing. So you've got to get yourself out of there and I guess the rest of it it just It's just a second to second auto pilot. Really, isn't it?

spk_1:   8:53
Absolutely. You will Was lying in the dark on Guy could hear people around me in extreme pain and the noises in the sailed. And you're also hearing the secondary explosions of fuel tanks and multiple dictates. And at one stage, we were showered with Amber's and there was a panic amongst the people looking after us, and they picked us all up on DH. Moved us further down the lane way, Aziz. Buildings or fire?

spk_0:   9:25
It sounds like you had your senses about you. So you knew. You knew you were. You're badly injured, right? It sounds like it is it Was there any sort of OK, I'm all right. I should be OK. Or was it No, I'm actually pretty fucked up here,

spk_1:   9:40
guaranteed. I went through several emotions. There was a lady in the rain walk there and she wrote down the details of my parents because I know they thought I wasn't going to make it and and I said, I'm OK. And then there's other times when you said, Hey, I need some water on Can't see real covered in in sort. So I sneak across myself being religious, and I gave myself the last rites, to be honest, and I said, Look, you know, tell a little boy loving more parents and that was a wait. Wait. That was a conversation. And she said she stood there behind me in the dark. So the oh di line, but somehow made it through

spk_0:   10:24
well, while those what a storey where That's incredible, What a trauma made. And so you're in hospital. You're in a different I mean, obviously, you know, getting to a hospital, right? I've been to Bali once, and my recollection, ITT's It's not. It's not first world stuff. Yeah, so you find yourself in a rickshaw going to a hospital? Is that what happened or what?

spk_1:   10:49
Yes, in AA, I've got recollections of being in the back of Ah, black, huge. And then I went to one hospital, and it was it was full because I was actually in the laneway for nearly four hours before I would get transported. There were hundreds and hundreds of people that needed assistance. So being down that language, we're probably a bit obscure. But eventually I was in an ambulance and then off to Sanglah Hospital, where they did the first amputation inches above the ankle and my toes here, Sandline. But in Bali,

spk_0:   11:31
rates of victory in the amputation involving

spk_1:   11:38
at that stage. I'm still, you know, well below the knee on the left leg and only toes, but, you know, and being moved on DH evacuated out by the wrath of the Australian government. You know, on one day Tuesday, we But I got the 2nd 2nd Hercules jet out, and it's based out some of the injured people. Um, remember, all stacked up on time, you know, for fun. You know, we were given some medication and called down. It was probably the first medication without in 12 18 hours. You know, it was everything run out of Bali advantages, no pain medication, so way. We managed pretty well in playing, and they need to Darwin and triaged on the time back there, you know? And I've seen footage of me coming off that yet to the tarmac on an alga hand up way. For some reason that, you know, I still felt that I was okay. But, you know, obviously from there, sweating about 10 days of I c. U and flatlined and

spk_0:   12:53
obviously you weren't out of the woods

spk_1:   12:55
you're out there to see. Oh,

spk_0:   12:59
was that we're been here was in Sydney. Where do they

spk_1:   13:03
take. That was down when they were still working on me in down. And they have to do several more amputations on the left leg to eventually be below to above. And then that half right foot. Well, that's keep skin graft inside of me Close. Yeah, I was. I was pretty problematic. Were also we're all burned. Our lungs were burnt, damaged and full of Andre had infections like you wouldn't believe from, you know, get that dirt on day, especially falling into that crater outside the night. Cartman's filthy. We have just horrific secondary. The infection's way that we have morning was trying to fight, You know,

spk_0:   13:55
you know what I found? And certainly in my situation there, there's always a moment. There was a moment where I've found is quite common where you just don't You didn't realise, as that is, the victim, essentially, is the person who's been injured that your that you know in that much strife. Essentially, some doctor comes out and says we're going to have to amputate your leg as if to announce it. But in your situation, you pretty well knew something was up there. Was there any surprise when they when they said that happened? Or were you conscious when they told you they were going toe? They're going to remove part of your body.

spk_1:   14:34
You know that Sze Interesting Because you can relate to it because I thought I had some secondary dreams and things. I thought that I was a gas cylinder blown up next to me. You know, I realised until I was out. I see you need to recovery, Ward that I was actually the victim to a terrorist bombing. And they don't actually lost my leg and my thought the day they told me, we'll be out of date in one of those large slings and they said, We're going to sit you up and shut me out. And they told me what happened on DH. I still have my body and the emotion poured out and it brought out. But two days, seriously, self pity. Scared? I didn't know what I was going to do. Is a man missing that much of my body. They didn't know where my friends were. And I have no recollection of what occurred at that time to talk about it. But you don't talk about it and told my mom everything. Well, I was pretty much out of it, but somehow I can't remember the conversation. So I started walking things out. That hurt me,

spk_0:   15:53
Right? Right. Well, that's just that's incredible. Storey. Well, so So when you sat up on, do you look down and go? Okay, Processing I now have where we're feet used to be. I now I just have these bandages. Clearly, you know, there's some parts missing there. That darkness that you speak of is a common thing that I've found is that it's you just don't know what's next. How is this possible outcome? I live my life. It's just not on. It's It's just it's basically there's no lake down that tunnel at all, is there?

spk_1:   16:29
No. No. Well, so that's

spk_0:   16:33
what happened to your meats on that night.

spk_1:   16:36
Yeah, well, my teammates, Glenn Forster is taller with dark hair. He he had a really bad shrapnel injury on his leg, similar to what had happened to Marlon. And he'd actually being blown on top of Glen our Mike. Both first name's Glen. But so, Glenn, the blond hair Glenn Cosman, he actually drag Glenn forced out of the club but they can't be there, collapsed onto the front of the carbon and was engulfed in fire. He could get back into the club, and he tells me how he had came back Teo clan and said, Hold on, I can't

spk_0:   17:27
great. Well, that would have been That's just it's hard to even fathom that hard, even father, with May seriously. And so you flown back to the Northern Territory. Obviously, your family's flown up there. Are there?

spk_1:   17:45
Yeah, my mum was assisted by 70 Rotarian, 18 20 years, and my mum was assisted by one of our own parents. Travel Asian and she got the last seat on a plane. Qantas playing up to Darwin. And what occurred then is beyond belief with my mother. My mother walked into the ward. My lim on the left leg was still wrapped up my tone like my right ankle. Emily was wrapped up and Burr being annexed. Repacked nurse at Austin and Harderberg repacked in Melbourne. The nurses, 35 For years, she said, You've got to come and cheque. My son. His wound's a gangrenous was coughing at the mouth. Then all these other patients, they wrapped it up and they said he looks he looked okay. There are wass waste out tan Too healthy fit 95 kilo. And she said no. Can't you see? Can't you smell it? That won't certain Gene they operated that night. Yeah, I did. It was two or three more amputations. Tio saved my life and my mother had been 12 hours later. Order being dead?

spk_0:   19:00
Yeah, it happens real quick. That zit is amazing. She's She's another one of your angels then May Absolutely Wow. So Okay, so it z what is it? I'm listening, I think. Where do we even start? But it not. Did not Teo dwell to move past this obviously riveting incredible Storey? Let's let's sort of move to the to the experience. You've now had the amputations. It's they've got to Cem Cem healthy tissue on DH, they say OK, this is it. We're done now. Is that what happened? Are once they got to that healthy tissue and they had done it, they said, Okay, you're going to be well enough so we can get you back down. Teo, your home. What? How long

spk_1:   19:52
they're going to

spk_0:   19:53
get out of Northern Territory and and back from Darwin down the GC, The Gold

spk_1:   19:57
Coast. Yeah, well, it, unfortunately took awhile. Took a lot of patients. So you're right. We had the amputation of the left leg. And then as I thought, I was getting better. That sting graft, the inside of the knee, and then the full the riots that the short in the bone, the skin wasn't grafting grow well on that left leg. So they shortened the bone. I was 8.5 weeks in die. When was the last Australian to get out of there? And then I was actually on a stretcher, still bedridden, basically not walked right there. And, you know, even thought of prosthetics that that stay. So 8.5 weeks in Darwin stretches on a Qantas plane back to the Gold Coast ambulance off the gold angle is data Brisbane. Sorry. On backing to the Gold Coast back into the same hospital that I was in one year, one year before with my motorcycle fractures.

spk_0:   20:54
Well, that's incredible. What about your support? You've come back here. Obviously it's high profile as well, So you be getting to impress and so forth. But hopefully that wasn't too much of a distraction.

spk_1:   21:14
You know, when we're in Darwin, mind my mom and dad and I would very private. I was worried about my business and my staff and, you know, my staff. One of my managers stepped up and spoke to allow my security officers down here, and two of them said, uh, well, what about him in the business is going to file if he dies, you know, he actually invited those two start members to the front Foya and then dismiss them rail that support I had from my management, my staff, my clients, my family, my mates was incredible. Deep got me through. There were, you know, someone had brought me a laptop, but I had no mobile phone. They're my mom and dad had a power of attorney to sign the cheques for the business. It was incredible. The e e evening did more rehab and Gold Coast and then was allowed out of the Gold Coast Hospital there for day visits. Top of my mates flew up. We're grew up from in velvet, and we went out for day trips. You know, people started circling around me, and the support mechanism was was beyond beyond my expectation, you know, support I got. But the cancelling that I've got the great cancer I got was also help to me. Because at one stage, I didn't want to be here, and I actually thought that I'll come home, you know, chambers around in the weapon, and I want it to not want to kill myself. Yeah, but with that support and the challenges that were set to me to go on and have a go, which is that great Australian spirit? Have a go mate Shaoshan. Courage. And I needed Teo, and I took it with my hands. And, you know, I've actually got in the wheelchair Learn how to get the wheelchair in car, learn how to drive again. You know, that's just a G today. Each week I want to set myself a goal. And it also allowed myself sometime Grievous. Well, what's a really good friend in the club? They're lost girl saying that night turned she delayed. And friend of Jodi Kearns from Brisbane. Yeah, it was pretty hard thing to think that my life was spared and that some of my friends didn't make it.

spk_0:   23:47
All right, Well, you know, I suppose I couldn't speak from experience in that regard was my situation. I was on my own. But, you know, you just you just don't know. And I think that you don't know what's around the corner. What I can say is that you know, what you've done is is not is actually extraordinary in that quite a few people go the other way. So you know, the storey you're telling now and you're the journey you shared with us is is a his inspiration to a lot of people because they might think they've gone through it on their own. And I haven't said that. What was that? What was the moment? That or the information or the inspiration that switched you and changed the lens you're looking at your life through from? I want a chamber around two. I'm going to give it a go. What was the was? Was there something in there that triggered that? You snapped out of it?

spk_1:   24:49
Yeah. Yeah, it's good man on this one. But the hardest thing is to tell you this this exact moment Worse. I spoke to my mother and it's usually among you know more about couldn't

spk_0:   25:08
agree more but could not agree more,

spk_1:   25:12
no matter how big a man you are. But I was actually scared of my mom, you know? But she's amazing, you know? So she said to me now and I was really negative and she said to me, She said, You know, what? Could I have a boy while my son was six and she said, You know what she said, But George, for your son and for your family, you've got you're going to have a go and you've got At least I'll let the doctors and nurses help you, And then you've got to start tryingto improve your attitude ing and improving. Be courageous and and you know and cooperate with refuge on your medication and stuff, just so angry at the world and so angry off what they took away from me, the terrorists and and yeah, and that that turnaround moment was when she said, Look, she said, Son, I understand. You know, You know, I understand what you're going through people you know my whole career. But you should look. I will understand if you want to go, you come and see me and then say goodbye. But She said, I want you to have a go at first shot. Dean, have a go. And when she said Dare I say you damn it And go on and have a crack. Have a go If you don't like it, you come and see me in stable boy, We should hands on it. It must be the hardest thing my mother had ever done is to change me And you and my attitude turn around one eye only. You know, I improved my fitness, but I didn't know lung exercises were a lso chic. And, you know, it just proved that the positive actions proved to be positive results with May. And I'm not fitter and stronger. And by the time I flew out down yeah, I thought I felt very strong. We know a lot of work to go yet, but the operation that was my turnaround moment was challenged on. I'll stay.

spk_0:   27:17
Yeah, of course. Did you Did you have anyone, you know, external to your network of people who potentially through rehab? It came to visit you as a mentor and say, Hey, mate, it's OK. Being an amputee is is not so bad. I didn't have any of that? Or were you basically What? What sort of network did you have outside of your your close crew? Your

spk_1:   27:43
posse? Yeah. And action in crude. Lawson's insight that you want to know Because you're right. What? What did you get and what supported To get to understand what you actually going to have to deal with and go through. And the answer that is completely naive, completely gone. I don't know too many amputee people based around 10 K's a day and box and fight and run a security company and swim and you know you're building and that's it on Danny wheelchair level. Well, lucky, you know, they were was a jockey in a wheelchair to that I knew and and there's a guy who was always smell was it was a dwarf, and these guys looked at me in a wheelchair, and you've always been a mate of mine. And they said, We're so sorry. What happened was you may not get back on that, Okay, I'll get back on the streets, you know, there might be a way I'll stand up and they did. But here there were some incredible people motivating me and helping me and definitely not giving me

spk_0:   28:55
a pity. Yeah, yeah. And have you come across any of that in that? In that sense, we're, you know, people that you don't know don't know. Your storey, you know, kind of approach you and say things. You know, they probably wouldn't say anything to your face, but you get an inclination that they might be saying, you know, you know, you're crippled now you're no good Or is there any of that Has that ever happened or picked up any of that where you're now different in that sense or you're not capable?

spk_1:   29:28
Yeah, there was a couple of moments are pretty social kind of guy. Lt's out with one of my friends one night and he was having some depression issues after after barley. But he was a good guy, fit and healthy. Hadn't been to Bali, obviously not injured or anything. And he spoke to me while I was in a wheelchair and he said are have been having some problems at work and things are what going right for me. And I knew that you weren't happy in your thoughts and contemplating suicide. You know, I've contemplated that as well. You know, things aren't going well. I got up on one leg, grab him on the front of the chest and gamers shaped. And I said, How dare you? Everything going for you, You've got two arms and two legs And how dare you? You know to say that your life's not worth living, you know, I tell you what he said. I turned him around with that and he went to the doctor's, got some counselling, got too many to present. And he got back into a suit shirt and tie and picked himself up. And he's an amazing guy today. Yeah,

spk_0:   30:35
well done it. Sze something you speak Teo. I've spoken to a number of people, obviously have been through something, And your storey is it's inspiring. But it's actually it seems to be a common thread there, Andy, where people go through this and they just don't know what is what to expect. But they do realise one thing is that is that you start to appreciate things much more richly. You start to appreciate what you have, and you know the fact that you're here and that an opportunity or a person or a conversation. It seems to be a level of richness that potentially you you can harvest from this, right? Pretty interesting. Cool. Well, that's that's something. It's ah, good on you for for jumping in and grabbed him by the scruff and saying may snap out of it. Yeah, so So do your dirty. Now you're looking at We're looking 18 years almost now. We're coming up to 18 year anniversary come this year. Is that right? That's great. Yeah. Eso You know what you do in that time? What? What stood out to you is one of the biggest hurdles you faced in the last 18 years Because of this, You know the injury

spk_1:   32:01
you're a supposes are as a man is to get your self confidence back is ah, big thing to admit to you and Tio people listening to you where you have to admit that you like that you're competent and you look shocking. You go or not whole complete. But then you've got so much to offer and so much to give If you just take the time to Yeah, try and look back at what you've achieved or what you want to achieve in your gold setting duel of that. And by no way am I motivated. But I'm working. We're working to better myself. So what I did was try and set those goals to say, Why came one? If I can risk, you're the one if I can make my business grow and I wonder if I can set myself some personal goals And so I do some scuba diving, which I didn't get to do before. I have a little bit more time off, so I usedto work where gains a lot Barley. I wanted to have a better a better standard of life. So I started having some some days and sometimes often decided I want to do some dining. So believe it or not with that soldier, that maid of mine, Anthony McKay. That actually pulled me out of that sorry club that night. We've become best mates season W and waving in volume, you know, in other places here on the Gold Coast when? This year. So I'm taking up diving, and I I I actually much to my mother's discussed I got back on the motorbike. To be honest, I got a lot of modifying that foreign And not only do I sell my sports bike that I used to race around on irresponsibly, I actually got myself a Harley. And they modified the gears onto the handlebars for me. And I've been riding a Harley fat boy around since 2000 for

spk_0:   33:51
our fun. That's great. Well, certainly deserve. And I might have actually seen you around Ever ride around me to shorts on e would have seen you, mate. I would have seen you cruising down this end down the burly way is not something s so, you know, it sounds it sounds like clearly, after 18 years, it's you've you've certainly come a long way. But, I mean, it just now becomes a footnote in your life, doesn't it?

spk_1:   34:22
It does. Yeah.

spk_0:   34:24
Yeah, well, and, I mean, just how long do you reckon that you were? You know, you were mad about it or or even sad about it. I mean, hope was your What do you reckon your your your timeline was in regards to that?

spk_1:   34:42
Well, I gotta be honest. Are still in years. Hasn't made a lot of difference. You asked me a couple of questions earlier on, and you used in triggers on things I'm not proud ofthe, you know, clearly got emotional on DH teared up and need to wipe those tears away. But it took a long time for me. Tio come to terms with what I have lost because you know what I saw and what I witnessed is also extreme. I mind, you know, I've been injured and challenge myself with business and everything else, you know, running the company, the security companies, not a soft being, or actually carry Barham and going in my state and carry money. You know, here is part of my job. But when I saw that night etched in my memory forever, you know, you get to see that much death. It affects you and I'll sit down and watch a movie or see something, and he triggers an emotion. So I need to occasionally have that outpouring in animation. I need more time to myself to just let we'll let that emotion out. I don't do drugs. Alcohol on the line. Anything else to get me through medication? Get me through. You know, great change with drinks for my friends and stuff. But I don't. Why don't you come to any of those vices. So, you know, I just got to let that emotion out occasionally and then let myself, you know, have that because I need that I need to let that out, and that's it. So yeah. Yeah,

spk_0:   36:21
well, you know, I'll be I'll just share with you. I mean, I have my my accident when I was just a kid 10 years old, So a z e. You know, you don't have a sense of self. You really haven't figured out what you haven't figured out much, really? At 10. So you go through the trauma and I remember it like it was yesterday. But I had a conversation with my folks last week or the week before just getting a bit of detail in regards to this project. And I couldn't help, but I got emotional. I thought that only I should be fine, but it just it's amazing what post traumatic stress disorder is. And back in 1977 there was no notion of that whatsoever, right? And so they certainly didn't give you any support, but I think that probably did a better job 20 years ago. Hopefully it's better now, but You know, it's just one of those teachers. Doesn't leave you, does it?

spk_1:   37:17
No, it doesn't. Yeah, no way up somewhere. And, you know, look, it might be really Don't rise. Frames fall, slap on the concrete or fireworks you don't expect or a car backfire. And you Do you know you. You think Well, I've heard that noise before. And you do It sometimes takes you back, You know? What about when thing to come onto the news like the London bombing or Madrid or Paris And these terrorist attacks? Unfortunately, douche with you. And it does thank you back in that moment. And it is uncomfortable. You know, it's definitely sometimes I'm comfortable with the fireworks in easy on stuff like that. Way you've heard that noise before so I can understand what our ex service guys feel like when you got bombs and borders flying overhead and explaining everywhere, and they just don't They don't want to come out of there.

spk_0:   38:16
Sure. Yeah, well, it's something that you can relate, Tio. You know, once again, military people have been through that for a civilian to understand it, you know, it wouldn't however, you would have that Connexion you knew you would understand that. I'm sure. So, E, I'm sure you don't realise how awesome and amazing you are as a human being. But what what would What would you think would be one of them? Your most incredible, I suppose. Experience in achievement since the accident.

spk_1:   38:51
Well, help me. Oh, time

spk_0:   38:54
to blow your horn, mate. This is the time to get blow the trumpet. I want to hear about it.

spk_1:   38:58
Well, well, I've got to be honest. I worked with some amputees. I was working with some up in town to be able to be honest. And you're right. I've got that Connexion with the Army Air Force. And they've become quite a lot of my mates and typically some X Esa's soldiers of picked me up, put me under their wing and they're amazing guys. They told me and take me diving. And But I worked with them, a couple of kids up in Townsville, and I had to talk to them pre. They're having their limb amputated and they would look at mine on my leg, and then Mom and I would talk to them, and I thought, If I can show them and tell them what's going to happen and that there's like a thing. This stuff there's, you know, I hope you'll be able to get out, play tennis and do that state board and do what you want to do. Typically, when you had your accident, you attend. I've also been over the mentor and help a 10 year old and well, but the biggest thing was probably getting to know s Sophie Malaysia, on Molly down in Sydney, the two beautiful girls that got caught under the car child case in a and they've lost fingers and thanks and is And what going down to Sydney on crutches and going to see those two little girls in the hospital and talking to their parents, then tryingto explain to their parents that it's going to be okay, they're going to be accepted. That were the questions they're asking you for a long Billy's beyond his wife, Caroline, and they asked me, Anyone asked me to talk to them on the final last night. That's gonna fly down and see them. Let saw them. That was the most amazing inspirational thing that I've had. The privilege to do is to see those two beautiful sexual kids and and then try and get them to understand that it's going to be acceptable. You're going to be accepted. And you're going to be a beautiful woman, which they based grow ups to bay.

spk_0:   41:08
Yeah, that's fantastic. That's inspirational. I mean, you've got a lot of influence there, a cz, the person you weren't just generally as you are. But you add the uniqueness of your situation and you become a basically a superhero mate. So well done. What would you What would you say to someone who was, you know, advice? You give someone who was faced with a situation where you know the outcome is permanent doesn't have to be an amputation. It could be something even more traumatic. Right? So what would you

spk_1:   41:44
say? Wait. We're surrounded by people. Look, especially at the moment, we're surrounded by people in business personal life. Another with this covert 19 Boris is actually something brand new to all of us, right? It's the biggest tragic thing that's happening globally. Now I've got friends that are now unemployed there now, losing you know, their homes and face Fallujah, losing their relationships and their job, their careers and not been out of school. They're kids and properly, you know, there's only challenges now and the stress is unbelievable. But imagine having that stress. And now, having terminal cancer or now having you know something that does put you put you in a wheelchair or so Yeah, I'm ready for ready for that challenge where some of my friends made me. But then I'm also asking my staff to lift, and I'm drawing on my friends as mental as well to lift May because I'm also feeling that, you know, my business is not full of it, but, yes, we're gonna stick together. So the inspiration I'm getting off. Our people are trying to get drawn and get back. But Jesse's a talking at the moment isn't that way. When you think your hearts party life is losing limbs and things you just don't want to lose something of fought so hard for which is the last dollar business, your friends and our way of life. I thought terrorism was going to take away what privileges and now, if faced with a financial crisis that could take away our privileges, will look. Luckily, it's not physical that Zahra only material things, but it's still I can see a lot of damage out there now and we're going to have to help each other. And that's what I think. This, this is all about, is it's It's a test to help each other now,

spk_0:   43:43
right? All right. Well, that's Sze obviously super important and completely relevant right now. Ah, final question for you. I know you know what? We cooked a little bit over time but final questions. So if you could change things if you could go back Tio how it wass But you'd have to give up all the learnings that you know you've had over the last 18 years. Would you?

spk_1:   44:14
No, I'll be honest. Now we know we're on Malene to Bali through customs. That was someone possibly saving. Going to say hi. Don't go. Don't be there close to clever and gave the money over an issue that I have my passport. I went out that night more mates. I would not swap my injuries with my mates. They got their full body legs and everything. That glowing klepto kept his foot. Absolutely not. I wouldn't feel so guilty being back in Australia and My two mates have got fined in that nightclub, then girl or seeing dollars and Joanie died and I wasn't there. And no wouldn't swap it. Now why other parents and family grandchild of sorting deliberately? We come from a family of protectors on guy figure that unfortunately, this is my destiny. And I'm going to be here. Tio inspire people. But you know, I want to make the fullness of my life. So now I would change. It changed Malek being damaged to having one arm damage and having my legs to walk and run. No, you know, I accept what happened to me, and that's why I'm still here. And that's what I'm trying to be a better person. Accepted what? I heard what happened to me so no one changed at the moment.

spk_0:   45:49
Well, that's fantastic. And I really appreciate that. And thank you so much for sharing. You know, one of them, clearly the most traumatic day of your life. And obviously the journey you've been on, which is affected not only you, obviously, but the people in your family and obviously for the most part, if not all of it in a positive way. So Thank you so much for your time today. What an incredible storey to share on my very first episode of great files. I'm Mark Blood. Brooke, I want to thank you for joining me today. If you want to know more about Andrew, go to grit files dot com. You can look up Andrew and all the guests that appear on this show. Thanks again. Be safe, be greedy.