Heartbroken father of Laos methanol poisoning victim Holly Bowles says ‘She was everything you would want your daughter to be’ and makes solemn vow in tearful interview
The father of 19-year-old Holly Bowles, who died in Laos last month from suspected methanol poisoning, said his daughter was “full of life” and had “everything you could want from your daughter”, as he called on those responsible to to be. taken into account.
Shaun Bowles said in a tearful interview told the BBC that his daughter was traveling in south-east Asia with her friend Bianca Jones, also 19, when they fell ill after drinking alcohol believed to be contaminated.
They were among six tourists who died in just a few days in the tourist hotspot Vang Vieng, including Simone White, a 28-year-old lawyer from Britain, who was drinking at the same hostel before falling seriously ill.
“They had an incredible time and just had so much fun,” Bowles told the BBC Today programme. “They just had a blast.”
Mr Bowles said his daughter had been in regular contact before they learned she had become unwell through a friend. Holly and Bianca’s mothers soon flew to Thailand to visit them at the Udon Thani hospital where they had been transferred.
Bianca tragically died on Thursday, November 21 and Holly a day later.
Mr Bowles told the BBC his focus was on raising awareness of the issue of methanol poisoning in South East Asia.
“We absolutely want whoever is responsible for this to be held accountable and brought to justice, and we are going to do everything we can to ensure that is the case,” he added.
Australian teenager Holly Bowles died after suspected methanol poisoning in Laos
Melbourne teenager Bianca Jones (photo) died in a hospital in Thailand at the end of November
Mr Bowles spoke to the BBC about his daughter and hopes to raise awareness of methanol poisoning following her tragic death last month
The grief-stricken father spoke out bravely as he calls for those responsible to be held accountable
Mr Bowles said he and Bianca’s father, Mark, had also taken a trip to Thailand as friends about 25 years ago.
He said their daughters were in Laos to celebrate their school graduation.
They were taken to hospital after being found unconscious because they had not checked out of the Nana Backpacker hotel.
Last week, Holly Bowles was finally sent to Beaumaris Secondary College in Australia, where she invited friends and family to an intimate service.
Mourners lined the street outside the school in a guard of honor as Mrs Bowles made her final journey.
“We would like to thank people in Australia, Canada and around the world for the outpouring of love, support and compassion at this extremely difficult time,” Beaumaris Secondary College assistant principal Peter Bartlett said on behalf of Ms Bowles’ parents, Shaun and Samantha, and brother James.
“Your kindness has been a source of strength and comfort to our family. Today is a very important day for our family as we come together to celebrate Holly’s life.
‘Holly was loved and adored by so many people. Today is a reflection of her life, but she will remain in our hearts forever.”
CCTV footage from the hostel shows Ms Bowles and Ms Jones being transported to a local clinic on the back of a motorbike driven by a member of the hotel staff
The three young women stayed at Nana’s Backpackers Hostel in Vang Vieng
Tourists are pictured kayaking in Laos’ party town of Vang Vieng, where six people died from suspected methanol poisoning
Simone White, 28, died in hospital after drinking alcohol suspected to be laced with methanol in backpacking hotspot Vang Vieng
The family reminded people that a GoFundMe in honor of both their daughter and Mrs. Jones was still operational.
The fundraiser, which aims to raise awareness of the dangers of methanol poisoning, had raised more than $413,000 of its half-million dollar target when Mrs Bowles made her sad final journey to her resting place.
The family asked for privacy going forward and reiterated how difficult it had been to cope with the death of their beloved daughter.
“These are the most difficult times of our lives and we thank you for respecting our privacy,” the statement ended.
Known for her love of music, the service for Ms Bowles included songs such as Abba’s Mamma Mia and Billie Eilish’s Chihiro.
Ms Bowles was the sixth person to die after drinks were allegedly mixed with methanol and served to guests at the hostel.
Ms Jones and Ms Bowles did not leave their dormitory at the Nana Backpacker Hostel 24 hours after going to Jaidee Bar and reported feeling unwell on November 13 before being rushed to hospitals in Bangkok.
CCTV footage from the hostel shows one of the women being transported to a local clinic on the back of a motorcycle driven by a hotel staff member.
Holly Bowles (left) and Bianca Jones (right) both played for Beaumaris Football Club
Thai authorities have confirmed that Ms Jones died of ‘brain swelling due to high levels of methanol in her system’.
The bodies of both girls were flown back to Australia a week after their deaths.
Bianca Jones said her farewell at Mentone Girl’s Grammar in Melbourne’s south-east on Friday, December 6.
Hundreds of mourners gathered dressed in all the colors of the rainbow to honor the teenager.
Mrs Jones’ family said they hoped to spend ‘the most important day’ of their lives saying goodbye and grieving their beautiful daughter.
“Bianca was a private young woman, with a great network, but she was not a celebrity,” they said in a statement.
‘It is our wish that Bianca will be said goodbye in a way that reflects her life.’
Eight people have been arrested in connection with this case.
Hostel manager and bartender Duong Duc Toan (pictured) claims it wasn’t his Tiger Vodka that made tourists sick
A memorial card for the funeral of Holly Jayne Morton-Bowles, held at Beaumaris Secondary College in Melbourne
In a video from September, the best friends happily danced together just weeks before their deadly backpacking trip
When questioned, hostel manager Duong Duc Toan and bartender Toan Van Vanng denied diluting their alcohol with methanol.
Simone White, 28, from Orpington, Kent, also died last month after taking injections believed to contain methanol at the hostel.
Sue White, mother of the British victim, told The Sun how the hostel offered free whiskey or vodka shots for two hours every evening.
Toan said he purchased the alcohol from a certified distributor and free shots of Tiger Vodka were served to about 100 guests.
He said he had not yet received any complaints from other backpackers who had received injections that night.
He also drank from one of the vodka bottles in use that night to prove it was safe.
Mrs White said her ‘friendly, cheerful’ daughter and friends each took ‘six shots’, watered down with Sprite, before becoming ill and having ‘trouble breathing’.
She told The Sun how Simone and two friends took themselves to hospital the day after but were ‘discharged’ by medics, who told them they had food poisoning.
Simone and her friends went to hospital when they felt sick, but were ‘discharged’
By the time an ambulance arrived to take them to a private facility, Simone was already “delirious,” her mother said, adding, “I think it had actually affected all her brain.”
Mrs White, a travel agent, said the family were ‘absolutely devastated’ by the news of their daughter’s tragic death.
Her parents said together in an emotional tribute: ‘Simone was one of a kind and had the most amazing energy and spark for life.’
“She was a soul who gave so much to so many and was loved by her family, friends and colleagues,” they said.
‘Simone was taken from us far too soon, she will be greatly missed by her brother, grandmother and the entire family.
‘Our thoughts go out to all the other families affected by this terrible tragedy.’
The other three victims are James Louis Hutson, a 57-year-old American, and Danish nationals Anne-Sofie Orkild Coyman, 20, and Freja Vennervald Sorensen, 21.