THE PARENTS of a man blown up in a terrorist attack have learnt to live without anger.
Today marks the tenth anniversary of the Bali bombings which killed Marc Gajardo, 30, a mechanic from Carnon Downs, and more than 200 others.
Mr Gajardo, a keen surfer and musician, had stopped off in Bali with his girlfriend Hanabeth Luke on his way to a new life in Australia.
His parents, Carole and Ray, this week said it has been a long and painful process to accept their son's death.
Mrs Gajardo said: "At the time we were numb. You don't sleep, you don't eat."
Her husband said: "You go down to a certain level and it levels off – after four or five years of gradually getting better and better at dealing with it.
"And still everything that happens in the world today relates to what has happened to us.
"Seeing bodies coming back from Afghanistan brings it back every time – it stirs the feelings again and you feel very sad for the families."
Mr Gajardo said the execution of three men convicted of planning the bombing and the death in a shoot-out of another helped him believe at least some justice had been done.
He said: "You can't rewrite history. You have to learn to dwell on the good things."
While the couple have learnt to live with Marc's death, they say forgiveness for the perpetrators is impossible.
"I could not forgive people who do things like that," said Mrs Gajardo.
"It's the premeditation – they knew they were going to kill innocent people."
The Gajardos have stayed in close contact with Miss Luke, who lives in Australia and has just released a book, Shock Waves, about the consequences of the bombing.
The couple go to Chapel Porth on birthdays and anniversaries to remember Marc as it was his favourite surfing spot.
Tomorrow, however, they will be in London for a commemorative ceremony at the memorial near St James's Park.
They were overjoyed earlier this year when Marc's older brother Steve and his wife Catherine, who live in Lanner, produced their first grandchild and named him Jonty Marc in honour of his uncle.
Carole Gajardo said: "Marc would have loved him. Sometimes you can see Marc's expressions in his beautiful face and it's lovely. We're very fortunate."
