Erik de Haart: Bali bombing hero praised as hero by beloved Coogee Dolphins after sudden death

Memories of one of Australia’s darkest days have flooded back for a local Sydney community as one of the heroes of the Bali bombings passed away on the weekend.

Erik de Haart, a life member of the Coogee Dolphins Rugby League club, reportedly died of a heart attack on Sunday leaving many to remember his bravery on the fateful evening in 2002.

Mr de Haart, was on the Coogee Dolphins end of season tour with many of the club’s players and support staff, when terrorists exploded two car bombs outside the Sari Club and Paddy’s bar in the bustling centre of the Kuta tourist strip.

The explosions killed 202 people including 88 Australians, but the toll may have been many more if it weren’t for the heroism of Mr de Haart as he assisted people from the carnage.

“It is with profound sadness that we advise of the sudden passing of Coogee Dolphins life member Erik de Haart,” club president Wayne Hack said in a statement.

“Erik was a loyal servant, life member and sponsor of our club.

“He will forever be remembered in the immediate aftermath of the Bali tragedy of 2002 as a hero. Erik continued his ongoing support of the Coogee Dolphins for many years and in 2005 was honoured with a life membership.

“The Coogee Dolphins would like to extend our deepest and heartfelt sympathies to Erik’s immediate and extended family and his many friends.”

Mr de Haart attended the 10-year anniversary of the bombings and spoke about the chaotic scenes and personal toll the event had taken.

“On the right Paddy’s bar was well alight and a girl came past and her arm was just hanging by a scrap of skin. I looked to the left and it was utter, utter chaos,” Mr de Haart told the ABC.

“I raced up to the front of the Sari Club and it was just a nightmare – people screaming, people on fire. I’m trying to find the boys – I couldn’t see any of the boys. I just started going into the Sari Club and there were bodies lying everywhere.”

“I grabbed this guy on a bike and said, ‘Take him to hospital’. And this little guy looked up at me and said, ‘How am I going to hold him up and ride my bike?’ But he did. The Indonesian guys kept coming along in their cars and taking people from us.

“I’ve got all scars and burns on the bottom of my legs from kicking up ashes. At the time you were oblivious to it; all the time you were trying to get people out,” he told the ABC.

“Coming back for me was quite possibly the toughest time. That was when the guilt hit me. I thought, ‘I’ve let so many people down. I went away with them and didn’t bring them home’. It took me a long time to forgive myself.”