'Kiwi comforter' credited with saving American's life in Bali

3.30pm

An American man pulled from a burning Bali nightclub is alive, despite suffering horrific burns, thanks to the efforts of two Kiwi holidaymakers.

Following the bomb attack on Sunday morning, David Creecy, of North Carolina, was flown from Bali to the Singapore General Hospital with burns to 65 per cent of his body. His condition has been upgraded to stable, and he is expected to be moved to a United States hospital this weekend.

The actions of Northland men Patrick Shepheard and Andrew Warrington are credited with saving the life of the 49-year-old American who had been on holiday in Bali with friends.

In a message to the Herald's Bali Messages service, Mr Creecy's sister described the New Zealanders as "angels of mercy".

"I consider them angels watching over my badly burnt brother and am grateful for their staying with him and getting him out of the Sari Club," wrote Teri Kuklica.

"Patrick and Andrew gave my brother a will to fight and I thank God they were there."

Ms Kuklica had read a New Zealand Herald story which described Mr Shepheard as a "Kiwi comforter".

In the story, Mr Shepheard had described how he stayed with a man he knew only as "Dave" for three hours waiting for an ambulance, and said he was anxious to find out what had happened to the American.

Mr Shepheard has since gone into the hills of Bali to get away from the carnage in the Kuta Beach district. His family say he may be unaware that "Dave" is alive.

Mr Shepheard was with friends Mr Warrington and Donna Walters at the Sari Club on Saturday night, when it was devastated by two bomb blasts.

More than 180 people are known to have died in the bombing and fires which engulfed the nightclub and nearby Paddy's Bar.

As Mr Shepheard made his way out of the bar, he stood on a man he had not seen.

"He screamed and I picked him up and carried him out. He was totally burned from head to toe," Mr Shepheard said on Tuesday.

"I stayed with him for three hours putting water on him, putting water on his lips and talking to him. The ambulances did not come for three hours. It was disgusting. A man in front of us died and they just covered him up."

Mr Shepheard and Mr Warrington tried to keep the burned man talking so he did not go into shock and die.
"I got out of him his name was Dave. He was from North Carolina and he had two kids -- an 18-year-old boy and a 14-year-old girl.

"That was all I got out of him but I would love to find out if he was still alive."

Mr Shepheard, who owns a novelty shop in Whangarei, would be delighted to hear that his rescue efforts had not been in vain, his brother Simon said today.

"That's something positive to have come from this," he said.

The Virginian-Pilot newspaper says a Canadian air ambulance team will transport Mr Creecy from Singapore to the Jaycee Burn Center in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. He is expected to arrive on Sunday afternoon (NZT).

- NORTHERN ADVOCATE (WHANGAREI), HERALD STAFF

October 15:
Kiwi comforter desperate for news of Bail burn victim

Bali messages and latest information on New Zealanders
New Zealand travellers in Bali, and their families around the world, can exchange news via our Bali Messages page. The page also contains lists of New Zealanders in Bali and their condition.

Foreign Affairs advice to New Zealanders

* Travellers should defer travel to Bali

* NZers in Bali should keep a low profile and remain calm

* Foreign Affairs Hotline: 0800 432 111

Feature: Bali bomb blast

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