Ehrin ‘Ezza’ Coupe fundraiser started after horror Bali surfing injury

A travel insurance “oversight” has left a Sunshine Coast family out of pocket after a surfer dad suffered a near-fatal injury at a Bali reef break.

The wife of a Sunshine Coast surfer says he is lucky to be alive after a freak accident at a reef break in Indonesia left him with life-changing injuries.

Ehrin “Ezza” Coupe, 40, required emergency plastic surgery to reattach his nose and repair his forehead after he fell face first from his surfboard onto reef at Uluwatu about 6.30am on September 22.

Wife Sarah, still reeling from the trauma of the incident, said her husband came off his surfboard after the top of a wave closed in on his head while he was exiting a barrel at a break called “racetrack”.

Ehrin "Ezza" Coupe (left) with wife Sarah Coupe (right) and their young son, Sunny (middle). Photo: Oak Tree Road

He suffered a severe facial injury and severed a vital artery, Mrs Coupe said, but he somehow managed to cross 100m of reef and trek 100 steps to find help.

“He knew it was do or die,” Mrs Coupe said.

It was a fellow Australian surfer who came to Mr Coupe’s aid and controlled the bleeding while his wife frantically rushed to the scene.

Ehrin Coupe is now back in Australia recovering after the horror incident at Uluwatu. Photo: GoFundMe

Mrs Coupe said the other surfer saved her husband’s life and has since vowed to find him and thank him personally.

The couple then rushed to the nearest hospital, which was 45 minutes away.

Ehrin Coupe was rushed back to Australia after a horror injury out surfing in Uluwatu, Bali. Photos: Supplied

“(In the car) I said ‘how bad is it Ehrin?’ and he said ‘I think I’ll lose my nose’,” she said.

Within 16 hours Mr Coupe received emergency plastic surgery to reattach his nose.

“I didn’t think he would have a forehead,” Mrs Coupe said.

While the surgery went well, it left them with an unexpected $30,000 hospital bill because their travel insurance was void.

Ehrin Coupe (middle) with wife Sarah (left) and their young son, Sunny. Photos: Supplied

Mrs Coupe said they did not realise their 12-month insurance was only viable for 60-day trips at most.

“It was a really bad oversight … it’s a lesson learned now,” she said.

Mr Coupe. who has since been rushed back to Queensland, is recovering at the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital.

Ehrin Coupe was rushed back to Australia after a horror injury out surfing in Uluwatu, Bali. Photos: Supplied

Mrs Coupe said they moved to Uluwatu with two-year-old son Sunny in March, 2023, with plans to launch a clothing brand.

An emergency GoFundMe page was started to help pay for the surgery, with fears Mrs Coupe could risk criminal charges and having her passport confiscated without payment.

North Shore Boardriders Club president Shane Bevan kicked off the fundraising initiative which had raised about $19,000 as of within five days.

Mrs Coupe said they were “overwhelmed with gratitude” at the support.

Originally published as Ehrin ‘Ezza’ Coupe fundraiser started after horror Bali surfing injury