Bali bombings: Maria Kotronakis’ sisters and cousins died at Sari Club in 2002

Two decades ago, an ironic twist saved a Sydney woman’s life but it turned fatal for her four loved ones who went clubbing at Bali’s Sari Club where terrorists detonated a bomb.

Maria Kotronakis is all too aware how, ironically, a migraine saved her life the night her two sisters and two cousins were killed at Bali’s Sari Club where terrorists detonated a bomb on October 12, 2002.

Ms Kotronakis’ twin Dimmy, 27, her older sister Elizabeth, 33, and cousins Luiza Zervos, 33, and Christina Betmalik, 27, had joined her on her honeymoon four days before the tragedy but Ms Kotronakis stayed in her room sick with a migraine — which she has suffered from her whole life.

“The one thing that I can’t stand is the one thing that saved my life,’’ the 47-year-old said.

But irony played a nasty card for her dance-loving sisters who were part of the 202 victims killed when the bombs were let off at Kuta Beach’s Sari Club and Paddy’s Bar about 11pm.

Growing up, the former Mitchell High School, Blacktown, students loved clubbing.

“My sister Elizabeth was six years older,’’ Ms Kotronakis said.

“My sister used to take us out to all the bars and clubs. We weren’t legal but when she used to sneak us in, we used to get in.

Maria Kotronakis on her wedding day with Dimmy Kotronakis, Elizabeth (far right) and their parents.

“My parents knew about it — they didn’t have a problem because we were with our older sister and all her friends and we would be dancing the night, every Friday, Saturday night.

“My sister and her friends always made sure we got in. Illegally, we started from 15 and my parents knew about it so there was nothing done behind my parents’ back.

“We used to love music, we loved pretty much a lot of different types of music. We loved dancing. We grew up in the Greek community and we did Greek dancing so whenever we’d go to anywhere and there was Greek music we would always be dancing together.’’

The tight-knit siblings would often travel together — joining Ms Kotronakis for her honeymoon was no exception.

“We always went on holidays together,’’ Ms Kotronakis said.

“Going to Bali for another holiday was just normal. My sisters and I were just going to Bali for another holiday again.’’

Maria Kotronakis returned to Bali for the 10th anniversary of the Bali terror attack.

It was Ms Kotronakis’ second time visiting Bali and her sisters’ second trip there. All had been to the Sari Club “many times”.

At 6am on October 13, Ms Kotronakis’ mother called her after learning about the bombings from Sydney.

She was not initially alarmed when her sisters were not home at 6am. They would often come home late. Just the night before, they returned to the hotel at 5am.

By Monday, she realised they were part of the 88 Australians murdered at the hands of the Islamic terrorist group Jemaah Islamiah, and masterminded by Abu Bakar Bashir.

“Shock, disbelief, crying, couldn’t believe it, wouldn’t believe it, wouldn’t accept it, crying, crying, crying, making myself sick,’’ she said.

The anguish is raw and time has not healed Ms Kotronakis since the horror of 20 years ago.

“I’ve gotten older, that’s all,’’ she said. “My emotions stayed back 20 years ago.

“I’m like I was 20 years ago. Twenty years is like a bubble, it hasn’t happened.

“You’ll see people get married, people have kids, people move on, people do whatever. I’m still stuck in 2002.

“My two sisters were murdered.

“People talk about moving on and letting go and accepting. I will never forgive people. “Letting go, I don’t know how to let go. Moving on, I don’t know how to move on so at the end of the day I’m just doing what I know.

“I still think even in 40 years I’ll still feel the same, if I’m still around.’’

Maria Kotronakis at a Bali victims commemoration ceremony in 2014, where she will return to mark the 20th anniversary. Picture: Craig Wilson

Ms Kotronakis has since divorced and now lives in the Sutherland Shire and works in the city.

“I used to be in sales and now I work in a cafe. I’m a sandwich hand,’’ she said.

“When people talk about little problems, I don’t have time for it.

“Signing big contracts and making a lot of money — I don’t care about making a lot of money, I don’t need to make a lot of money because at the end of the day all the money in the world could not bring back my sisters.’’

The sisters grew up with their cousin Kathy who migrated from Greece and was raised by Ms Kotronakis’ parents.

Her sisters loved life.

“They were actually quite happy with what they were doing and the way they were going,’’ she said.

“They had their house, they were going on their little trips, their holidays, getaways and Mum and Dad’s house up on the coast.’’

Elizabeth was in finance and Dimmy was an office manager “as she always used to like to tell me”.

“I used to say ‘you’re a pen pusher’ and she said ‘I’m an office manager’.’’

On Wednesday, Ms Kotronakis will attend a ceremony for the victims at the Bali Memorial in Coogee, which is the only memorial in NSW bearing her sisters’ names.

The explosions were the single largest loss of Australian life from an act of terror.

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