In the nearly three years since the Bali Bombings, survivor Simon Quayle has turned the nightmare experience into one of the most positive of his life, by sharing his inspirational tale with hundreds of school students and community groups across Perth in the past year.

The former Kingsley football club coach captured Australia’s attention when he led the search for missing team-mates in the wake of the bombings of October 2002.

Simon was adamant he would not leave Bali until all team members were found; eventually it was established that seven of them had been killed in the blast.

Simon has battled with post-traumatic stress and depression since shortly after he returned home, but far from hiding his experience, the 35-year-old has spoken out in the hope of fighting terrorism and inspiring teenagers to chase their dreams.

Twelve months ago, he officially launched his community development foundation, called Speak from the Heart and has spent the past year visiting schools and community groups across Perth, revealing the most personal details of his experiences during and after Bali.

“The journey I have been on through Speak from the Heart has been nothing short of mindblowing,” said Simon.

“I’ve received so many emails from teenagers I have spoken to who have shared their deepest feelings with me.

“That tells me that there’s a real need for our kids to know that they are valued, to know that they can and should follow their dreams, that they can change the world and play a big part in help to end terrorism.

“The most inspirational part for me personally, has been being invited back to some schools three or four times, and to know that I am making a real difference.”

In the past year, Simon has developed a unique and special connection with Mazenod College in Lesmurdie.

His first talk in 2004 came shortly after the school lost a student unexpectedly during a football game at Subiaco Oval.

Simon had what the school has described as a “massive impact” on the Year 12 group he spoke with, and when Mazenod was faced with the loss of another student earlier this year, Simon was invited back.

“The fact that Bali happened was and always will be a tragedy, but I believed it was important to turn that negative into a positive, and I think the sort of experience I’ve had with the boys at Mazenod, shows that we can conquer terrorism by generating a world where people care,” he said.

Simon talks with students in a bid to impart to them the importance of living life to the full, following their dreams and embracing virtues such as leadership, love, empathy and understanding.

It is also his way of giving back to the community that supported him so generously upon his return from Bali.

For more information please visit: www.speakfromtheheart.com.au

Below is a list of organisations/schools Simon has spoken to in the past year:

National Museum of Australia South West Young Achiever’s Program, Bunbury Morley Senior High School, Morley Prendiville Catholic College, Ocean Reef Mazenod Catholic College, Lesmurdie Seton Catholic College, Samson St Mark’s Anglican Community School, Hillarys Community First, Mandurah June O’Connor Centre, Subiaco Mt Lawley Rotary Club Wanneroo Senior High School, Wanneroo Parkerville Children’s Home, Parkerville Cyril Jackson High School, PEP Community Services, South Perth WA branch of the Meetings Industry Association of Australia (Simon has been appointed as the face of networking activities for the branch)

Below are some emails received by Simon from schools and people he has spoken with:

We would like to invite you back to Mazenod College to talk to our Year 12s. You had a massive impact on the boys last year, and I’m not sure if there is a direct connection, but they left with the best academic results in our history and left as men of character and strength. We have unfortunately experienced another tragedy within our Year 12 body and I am convinced that they would benefit from your experiences and outlook on life.

hi, i am a year 12 student from St Mark’s- you recently came to speak to us about your tragic experience in the bali bombings. i have never been in a situation that horrific. nor can i even attemp to imagine what you must have gone through. however, i have had a taste of death. in 2001 i went on a camp with some mates from school- in particular my two best friends. i was only 14 at the time. on the first day, there was a freak storm where the camping ground was ripped to shreds, nearly every tree was blown out of the ground. my two best mates were in a tent at the time, and a tree fell onto their tent. i have to admit that the next couple of hours are still hard to talk about. but basically, at 14, i watched my two best friends die. your talk really touched me because although i know my story is no-where near what u went through… its nice to know there is someone who knows what you mean when you say that everytime you close your eyes it’s always there. it’s like a horror movie you can’t turn off. and i agree that talking about it is the key to feeling slightly better. but, even now- almost 3 years after, i don’t think i could get up like you did and tell people what i went through. i admire your courage for doing that and can’t imagine how hard the first time you did that would have been. i have enclosed a poem that i read at both of my friends funerals, that i fear is not so relevant to your story, but i think is quite fitting to the idea of losing someone so young. i also think you should have a listen to Christina Aguilara’s Voice Within and Evanescence “my immortal” as those two songs have helped me through these past couple of years… and have helped “throw the stones” as you put it. best wishes for the future,

Hi Simon,

My name is x and i was in thursdays group at st marks when you spoke to us.

I just thought id write and say how amazing and engaging your talk was. I have never seen my peers and friends so thouroughly interested in a guest speaker before.

The usualy thursday lesson is where people talk and wish the time away as boring speaker adress us about our future but when the bell went at the conclusion of you speech no one wanted to leave, and it was lunch next!!!!

Anyways just thought id let you know because it really hit home to all of us at how short life is and how tragic the event actually was.

Congratulations on your progress, i cant imagine how hard its been but keep up the good work!

Further background information

Simon and his wife Norelle have two children, 5-year-old Jack and 3-year-old Harry.

In 2002, he was in his first year as the club coach of the Kingsley Amateur Football Club when a group of 20 players flew to Bali for an end-of-season trip. When the bomb blasts hit on the 12th of October, Simon led the search for the missing team-members, but after three days it became clear 7 players had been killed.

Simon has been dealing with Post Traumatic Stress disorder since his experience and talks openly and frankly about that during his presentations.