Family of Kiwi who died in Bali will wait for his girlfriend to recover before holding funeral

Temson Junior Simeki (middle) with his brother Cruz (left) and girlfriend Leonie Hafke (right). Temson Junior Simeki died after he was swept away in Bali on Monday morning. Photo / Givealittle

The family of a Kiwi man who was swept away in Bali trying to save his girlfriend say they are waiting until she is well enough to attend before holding his funeral.

Temson Junior Simeki, known as TJ went missing last Monday when he was swept away in Bali trying to save his German girlfriend, Leonie Hafke.

The pair were trying to take a selfie at the Angel Billabong holiday spot when she was hit be a rogue wave. She was rescued four hours later in a critical condition, but the body of the 23-year-old, who had dived in to save her, was not found until Friday when a fisherman discovered it.

Both Hafke's and Simeki's families - including his father, mother, brother, best friend and brother-in-law, are with Hafke at a Bali Hospital.

Simeki's father, Temson Simeki senior, told Fairfax this afternoon they hoped to bring his son's body back to New Zealand on Wednesday.

Simeki senior has been spending time with Hafke who remains in hospital with a collapsed lung, and said they wanted to wait until she could attend the funeral before setting a date.

"I'm thinking that when TJ gets home, we're going to try to delay the funeral until Leonie's well enough to travel," Fairfax reported.

Simeki senior said Hafke was improving but still coming to terms with the death of her boyfriend who she had been travelling with - both in New Zealand and Asia - for several months.

Simeki junior's brother Cruz Simeki earlier told the Herald his brother had extended his trip for an extra month to stay with Hafke and had planned to return home on April 3. Both parents were heartbroken, he said.

The pair met 18 months ago at the Riverhead Tavern where they had both worked.