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| Down Under |
| Dutch Courage |
| 2007-07-16 |
| The Dutch backpacker who almost lost his life in a triple shooting in Melbourne said today it was not his time to die. Four weeks after being gunned down at point blank range as he went to help a woman in distress in central Melbourne, Paul de Waard said he was "in the wrong place at the wrong time''. The 25-year-old Dutch backpacker was shot twice, in the chest and abdomen, after he and Melbourne solicitor Brendan Keilar went to the aid of Kaera Douglas, who they saw being dragged from a taxi by the alleged gunman. Mr Keilar was shot several times and died from his injuries. Today, Mr De Waard said he would do it again if he saw a woman being attacked. "I was not supposed to die at that moment - it was not my time,'' Mr De Waard told a media conference. "What did I think? I had to help her. You don't beat up a woman. "I would do it again. Of course I didn't know the guy had a gun but if I see a guy beating up a woman, I will help her again. I think as a man you don't beat up women.'' Flanked by his brothers Eric and Bart and parents Hans de Waard and Marjan Heijnen (Marjan Heijnen), Mr De Waard said the kindness of a stranger helped him through the moments immediately after he was shot. "I remember Donna (McGowan), she kept me awake. She was like 'Stay with me Paul, stay with me'. She told me her name and about her children and that really kept me awake, because I wanted to close my eyes.'' Mr De Waard said today he hoped to leave hospital in the next two weeks and would return home to the Netherlands to be reunited with other family and friends. Christopher Wayne Hudson, 31, has been charged with one count of murder, two of attempted murder, one count of unlawful imprisonment and one count of intentionally causing serious injury over the June 18 incident. |
| Posted by:Oztralian |
| #8 with several small cuts on his arms and legs. I'd opt for giving him just one cut in the crotch area. Let the sharks have a nice starting point. |
| Posted by: Zenster 2007-07-16 19:27 |
| #7 "Christopher Wayne Hudson, 31, has been charged with one count of murder, two of attempted murder, one count of unlawful imprisonment and one count of intentionally causing serious injury over the June 18 incident." Im thinking that this guy should find himself being dropped off in the vicinity of the Great Barrier reef stark naked and with several small cuts on his arms and legs. 'Twould be fitting. |
| Posted by: no mo uro 2007-07-16 18:35 |
| #6 Melbourne's city council should give De Waard a night on the town and a key to the city. Not enough of his type in this world today. |
| Posted by: Zenster 2007-07-16 18:24 |
| #5 Don't wonder. Assume... |
| Posted by: tu3031 2007-07-16 16:35 |
| #4 Whenever I see someone acting weird in public I always wonder if they're carrying a gat. |
| Posted by: Anguper Hupomosing9418 2007-07-16 16:10 |
| #3 I thought Australia had strict gun laws? When you outlaw guns, only outlaws...... |
| Posted by: Procopius2k 2007-07-16 09:37 |
| #2 One of Nature's noblemen. Dank je wel, Paul. |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2007-07-16 08:35 |
| #1 "Dutch courage" is kind of a misleading headline for this story, as it refers to "courage" in the form of intoxication. Mr. de Waard may be Dutch, but the courage he displayed is of the more universal kind. You did the right thing, sir; thank you. |
| Posted by: Mike 2007-07-16 06:54 |