| Jess' Brother Billy in Bali |
Here is a copy of the article in the Courier Mail by Greg Stolz that Kellieo typed up: Scared relatives wait and hope Big Brother housemate Jess Hardy's little brother is among those missing, feared dead, after the devastating blasts in Bali. Billy Hardy, 20, was in the Indonesian holiday mecca on an end-of-season trip with team-mates from the Southport Sharks AFL club on the Gold Coast. Nine Sharks players were standing outside the Sari nightclub when the bombs exploded. Eight players were hurt, including backliner Jason Pate, 21, who is believed to have had an artery severed by flying shrapnel. Hardy was unaccounted for and Sharks officials and team-mates spent yesterday desperately scouring hospitals trying to find him. Ms Hardy, one of the stars of reality-TV show Big Brother, yesterday flew from Melbourne, where she has been working in radio, to join her family in a gutwrentching vigil at their Tweed Heads home. Last night, they were still awaiting news of Billy's fate. "We're hanging in there, just trying to be positive," Billy's mother Chritine told The Courier-Mail. "His mates are okay so we're just praying he is too and that they just haven't been able to find him because of the chaos and confusion. "Jess and Billy are really close and she said she hasn't had any bad feelings, so she thinks that's a sign he's okay." Jess said: "I usually pick up something, even if he's sick but I've got no real gut instincts so I'm just hoping that's in our favour." "All the family is here rallying around and hoping he'll be found soon. We've confirmed he was outside the club with the other guys, not inside, thank God." Mrs Hardy was wearing her son's gold chain yesterday as a lucky charm. Billy's girlfriend, Sky Foutcher, also sported a gold necklace with the number 9 - Billy's lucky number. "He's my best mate and they're going to bring him home to me, I know," Ms Foutcher said. Jess was on the Brisbane news tonight and the Queensland (?)Today Tonight. She was shown at the Southport airport waiting for Marty and Jason Pate. She was waiting to question him and he told her the last place he saw him was after the first explosion, running in the direction of where the second explosion took place. Jess said that she and her family are living on hope. He is the only member of the Southport Sharks who has not been seen and Jess says she cannot understand why him. She also said that he is a great kid and he will be using his determination to get through this situation safely. Jessica is planning to fly out to Bali tomorrow to personally search for her brother. Edited by: kellieo at: 10/14/02 7:48:43 pm |
| November 2002 It appears Billy did not survive the blast. Our thoughts are with Jess and her family. |
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