Aussie couple's horror Bali scooter crash
Balazs 'Baz' Czako and his fiance Julia Kirishun, 38, were just two days into their nine-day trip to celebrate Baz's 40th birthday when the shocking accident unfolded in Seminyak, a popular beach resort on the island.
Julia, originally from Moscow, suffered a subdural haematoma, a potentially fatal bleeding on the brain caused by head trauma, and underwent emergency surgery following the incident on July 26.
The pair were out enjoying a nice dinner when they decided to call it a night and head back to their hotel, TS Suites, for an early start to Baz's birthday celebrations the following day.
Baz, who was riding the scooter with Julia behind him, told news.com.au it was late at night, the roads were wet and the streets dark.
'I remember getting on the back and typing on the GPS our hotel and it saying 12 minutes to arrive at our accommodation. It was around nine minutes in when the accident occurred,' he said.
'The route the GPS took us on was a completely unlit alley. There were no cars in front as I went around the bend but out of nowhere this black Toyota came out of a side alley from our left.'
Baz said he immediately applied the brake to avoid a head-on collision with the vehicle but the rear wheel of the scooter went to the left and 'we hit the ground on our right sides of our body'.
Baz said his foot looked like it had been 'put through a blender', but his main concern was his fiance.
'I managed to get up and quickly rushed over to Julia and quickly noticed she was unresponsive. I thought I had lost her, I thought she was dead,' an emotional Baz told news.com.au as he recalled the horrific night.
'I started getting frantic and screaming 'wake up, baby' and tapping her on the cheek. I can't begin to describe what I was feeling.'
Eventually, nearby locals rushed over to help and called an ambulance that arrived within 10 minutes.
Julia was rushed to BIMC Hospital Kuta where she underwent emergency brain surgery after a CAT scan confirmed she had bleeding and bruising on the brain.
'They shaved a section of her head, opened her scalp in the top left of her head, removed a section of her skull and extracted the blood that was clotting, to remove pressure off the brain that was causing it to shift,' Baz explained.
Julia is now in a stable condition and has been given clearance to fly back home to Australia.
However, the couple, who share a son with special needs, have been slapped with hospital expenses exceeding $55,000.
Julia's lifesaving surgery cost more than $30,000 alone. As a result, Baz started a GoFundMe to help with medical bills and ongoing neurological support and rehabilitation.
He explained the hospital would not keep Julia in ICU, despite her condition, if he did not fork out the $5,000 a day fee.
'What was upsetting was they were going to discharge her in that state if I didn't have the funds,' he said.
She spent a total of six days in ICU before being transferred to the general ward that costs roughly $750 a day for a bed.
Baz was able to dip into his life-savings, and with the help of his parents, covered the daily hospital fees, but it has left a huge financial burden on the family.
Baz said he contacted his insurance company and is 'still waiting for a response' after they allegedly 'refused coverage due to technicalities'.
Angus Kidman, travel expert at Finder told news.com.au riding a scooter can be risky business, insurance-wise.
'Policies vary, but many travel insurance providers will only cover you if you have an Australian motorcycle licence and the correct local driving permits as well,' he said.
'Off-road driving is often excluded as well. So if you think you'll ever be jumping on a scooter during a trip, check the PDS for your insurer carefully – search for the word 'scooter' and see what it says.'
Baz wanted to extend his gratitude to people who have already donated funds on the GoFundMe and also to the surgeons who operated on Julia and saved her life.
'I have never been in a situation where I've needed to request help, this is all new to me and I am overwhelmed with the generosity of everyone reaching out to help.'
Baz said it was a miracle he suffered no broken bones and has since had his foot attended to.
The pair's accident is the latest in a string of scooter-related incidents involving Australians in Bali.
Last week, Keanu Neilson, a young father from Bundaberg, was in Bali celebrating his sister-in-law's 30th birthday when his scooter collided with a ute in Kuta on July 31.
Keanu suffered a serious brain injury and multiple fractures and remains in hospital in Bali as he is too unwell to return to Australia.
Smartraveller, the government's official advice platform, also urges caution, warning that Indonesian road users are 'often unpredictable or undisciplined'.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
News.com.au
6 days ago
- News.com.au
Aussie couple's horror Bali scooter crash
A Melbourne couple's annual trip to Bali turned to horror after a scooter accident sent them crashing to the ground. Balazs 'Baz' Czako and his fiance Julia Kirishun, 38, were just two days into their nine-day trip to celebrate Baz's 40th birthday when the shocking accident unfolded in Seminyak, a popular beach resort on the island. Julia, originally from Moscow, suffered a subdural haematoma, a potentially fatal bleeding on the brain caused by head trauma, and underwent emergency surgery following the incident on July 26. The pair were out enjoying a nice dinner when they decided to call it a night and head back to their hotel, TS Suites, for an early start to Baz's birthday celebrations the following day. Baz, who was riding the scooter with Julia behind him, told it was late at night, the roads were wet and the streets dark. 'I remember getting on the back and typing on the GPS our hotel and it saying 12 minutes to arrive at our accommodation. It was around nine minutes in when the accident occurred,' he said. 'The route the GPS took us on was a completely unlit alley. There were no cars in front as I went around the bend but out of nowhere this black Toyota came out of a side alley from our left.' Baz said he immediately applied the brake to avoid a head-on collision with the vehicle but the rear wheel of the scooter went to the left and 'we hit the ground on our right sides of our body'. Baz said his foot looked like it had been 'put through a blender', but his main concern was his fiance. 'I managed to get up and quickly rushed over to Julia and quickly noticed she was unresponsive. I thought I had lost her, I thought she was dead,' an emotional Baz told as he recalled the horrific night. 'I started getting frantic and screaming 'wake up, baby' and tapping her on the cheek. I can't begin to describe what I was feeling.' Eventually, nearby locals rushed over to help and called an ambulance that arrived within 10 minutes. Julia was rushed to BIMC Hospital Kuta where she underwent emergency brain surgery after a CAT scan confirmed she had bleeding and bruising on the brain. 'They shaved a section of her head, opened her scalp in the top left of her head, removed a section of her skull and extracted the blood that was clotting, to remove pressure off the brain that was causing it to shift,' Baz explained. Julia is now in a stable condition and has been given clearance to fly back home to Australia. However, the couple, who share a son with special needs, have been slapped with hospital expenses exceeding $55,000. Julia's lifesaving surgery cost more than $30,000 alone. As a result, Baz started a GoFundMe to help with medical bills and ongoing neurological support and rehabilitation. He explained the hospital would not keep Julia in ICU, despite her condition, if he did not fork out the $5,000 a day fee. 'What was upsetting was they were going to discharge her in that state if I didn't have the funds,' he said. She spent a total of six days in ICU before being transferred to the general ward that costs roughly $750 a day for a bed. Baz was able to dip into his life-savings, and with the help of his parents, covered the daily hospital fees, but it has left a huge financial burden on the family. Baz said he contacted his insurance company and is 'still waiting for a response' after they allegedly 'refused coverage due to technicalities'. Angus Kidman, travel expert at Finder told riding a scooter can be risky business, insurance-wise. 'Policies vary, but many travel insurance providers will only cover you if you have an Australian motorcycle licence and the correct local driving permits as well,' he said. 'Off-road driving is often excluded as well. So if you think you'll ever be jumping on a scooter during a trip, check the PDS for your insurer carefully – search for the word 'scooter' and see what it says.' Baz wanted to extend his gratitude to people who have already donated funds on the GoFundMe and also to the surgeons who operated on Julia and saved her life. 'I have never been in a situation where I've needed to request help, this is all new to me and I am overwhelmed with the generosity of everyone reaching out to help.' Baz said it was a miracle he suffered no broken bones and has since had his foot attended to. The pair's accident is the latest in a string of scooter-related incidents involving Australians in Bali. Last week, Keanu Neilson, a young father from Bundaberg, was in Bali celebrating his sister-in-law's 30th birthday when his scooter collided with a ute in Kuta on July 31. Keanu suffered a serious brain injury and multiple fractures and remains in hospital in Bali as he is too unwell to return to Australia. Smartraveller, the government's official advice platform, also urges caution, warning that Indonesian road users are 'often unpredictable or undisciplined'.
News.com.au
05-08-2025
- News.com.au
Young Australian dad faces ‘long road' after horror scooter crash in Bali
The family of a young Queensland father have issued an urgent plea, after the 23-year-old was involved in a devastating scooter accident in Bali. Keanu Neilson was holidaying on the popular Indonesian island celebrating his sister-in-law's 30th birthday when the man's scooter collided with a ute in Kuta in the early hours of Thursday morning. According to a GoFundMe page, which has been created by Mr Neilson's friend and partner on the family's behalf, the father from Bundaberg was taken to hospital with a bleed on his brain and several serious breaks in his arm and pelvis. 'He is currently heavily sedated,' friend Mitchell Lamb wrote on the page. 'By his side at the hospital is his loving partner, brother and sister-in-law who hasn't left him for a moment. 'Waiting back home is his beautiful 3-year-old daughter, Ellie, who keeps asking when her daddy is coming home.' Mr Lamb said the plea for money is to help fund the lifesaving treatment he needs to make a recovery, as medical costs need to be paid upfront for the required treatment, and Mr Neilson didn't have travel insurance. Speaking to the ABC, Mr Neilson's mother — Catz Leche — said while her son had one surgery, funds were required for several others which may amount to around $35,000 each. 'A few of my other family members managed to rustle up the money somehow, it was urgent they got him in,' Ms Leche told the publication. 'But we have to pay for each surgery, and then you have to pay by the day for him to be there. 'He didn't have insurance, and this is what the problem is, they won't operate unless the money's paid upfront. 'It's a long road for him.' In an update to the GoFundMe page overnight, Mr Neilson's partner Bree-Arna Mcknoulty said he faces a long road ahead. '[Keanu had] two plates put into his arm and a screw placed into his pelvis,' she wrote. 'The gashes were fixed best as possible and with extensive rehab he may have full use of his fingers. 'We are incredibly relieved to say he's awake and the neurosurgeons are closely monitoring his brain bleed. This is still a very serious and delicate situation but he's fighting so hard. 'Keanu still has a long road ahead before he'll be well enough to leave Bali. We are holding onto hope and taking it one step at a time.' Mr Lamb described the doting dad as 'one of the kindest, most vibrant souls you could ever meet'. 'To see him lying in a hospital bed, unconscious and broken, is absolutely heartbreaking,' Mr Lamb wrote. 'But we believe in miracles, and we believe in the power of community.'
ABC News
04-08-2025
- ABC News
Bali scooter crash victim Keanu Neilsen's surgery could cost more than $100,000
A mother has spoken of her family's anguish as they struggle to find the funds to pay for multiple surgeries for her son, who was seriously injured in a scooter crash in Bali last week. Keanu Neilson, 23, was in Bali for his sister-in-law's 30th birthday when his scooter collided with a ute in the Kuta tourist district in the early hours of Thursday morning. The Bundaberg father was taken to hospital with a bleed on his brain and serious breaks in his arm and pelvis, among other injuries. His mother, Catz Leche, who arrived in Bali this morning, said Mr Neilson had already had one surgery but needed more. "A few of my other family members managed to rustle up the money somehow, it was urgent they got him in," Ms Leche said. "But we have to pay for each surgery, and then you have to pay by the day for him to be there. "It's a long road for him." Mr Neilson has been heavily sedated since the accident. Ms Leche said the family was now struggling to come up with the funds for further surgeries. "He didn't have insurance, and this is what the problem is, they won't operate unless the money's paid up front," she said. Ms Leche said he may need four surgeries, which could cost $35,000 each. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is providing consular assistance to the family. Ms Leche, from Airlie Beach in North Queensland, said she heard the news of her son's accident early on Thursday morning. Mr Neilson's brother Dylan was with him in Bali, and his other brother Rhys flew there to be by his side, along with Dylan's wife and Mr Neilson's partner. "Dylan said, 'I can't look at him, Mum, he's a mess,'" Ms Leche said. "I couldn't let me emotions crack, I couldn't cry. I've had to try and be the strong one for my kids. "I don't know what to say to my boys down the phone when I talk to them, they're crying, they're upset. "Nothing's going to make it better till he's had surgery and we know he's going to pull through it." Ms Leche said she had to believe her son would be okay, describing him as a fun and loving man. "He's so polite, well-mannered, would give the shirt off his back to help anybody out, he's got the biggest heart of gold," she said. Mr Neilson also has a three-year-old daughter, Ellie. He and his former partner share custody. "She is his world, and he's so good with her," Ms Leche said. "And she absolutely dotes on Keanu, adores him."
