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ucia tried her best to contact her cousin Aloysius Bayu Rendra Wardhana as soon as she learned about an explosion at Saint Mary Immaculate (SMTB) Catholic Church on Jl. Ngagel Madya in Surabaya, East Java — one of the three Surabaya churches struck by bombers on Sunday.

Lucia knew that her 38-year-old cousin was a church member who was also in charge of security for Sunday services. She immediately shared a screenshot of Bayu’s identity card with her relatives through a messaging app on her mobile phone, hoping that someone would identify him and let her know his whereabouts.

Amid information circulating on numerous messaging platforms and social media sites, Lucia came across a photo of a man who appeared to be Bayu and who reportedly had died in the bombing.

“I saw two photos. One photo was [that of Bayu] wearing red shoes and a red shirt, posing with a police officer and a security officer near the church. The other photo was the explosion’s aftermath with Bayu’s shoes amid the ruins,” Lucia told The Jakarta Post on Sunday.

“I soon realized that my cousin was one of the bomb victims,” she said. At the time of interview, Lucia was on her way to the East Java Police’s forensic laboratory to identify the body. “Bayu’s parents and wife preferred not to come and check on his body themselves,” she added.

Bayu is survived by his wife and two young children, the youngest being only three months old.

According to several eyewitnesses, an explosion struck SMTB church at around 7 a.m. — as congregants filled the church’s parking lot. Two suicide bombers on a motorcycle attempted to enter the church compound through the south gate.

Bayu was reportedly the first person to block the bombers’ way. Two police officers who were deployed to safeguard the church, Adj. First Insp. Junaedi and Adj. First Ahmad, came to support Bayu.

The suicide bomber in the front of the bike then blew the motorcycle’s horn loudly just before the bomb exploded.

Meanwhile, security guard Yesayas, 45, attempted to prevent suspicious people trying to enter the Diponegoro Indonesian Christian Church (GKI). He suffered severe injuries as he tried to stop the suicide bombers, a woman with two younger females.

A witness, Tardianto, said he saw two women and a young girl wearing niqabs quickly enter the area surrounding the church.

“[Yesayas] was walking behind and trying to stop them,” Tardianto said, noting that the two older women split up before detonating their explosives.

“The explosion wasn’t too loud, but it happened a second time. I saw Yesayas lying wounded and helpless after the first explosion, I walked toward him to help. I aborted my plan the moment I heard the second explosion,” he explained.

The suicide bombing at SMTB church claimed the life of 11-year-old Vincencius Evan. Surabaya Surgical Hospital director Priyanto Swasono said Evan had died as a result of severe burns and broken bones all over his body.

On Sunday night, Nathanael, Vincencius’ 8-year-old brother, also died from his injuries.

The East Java Health Agency reported that as of 12 p.m. on Sunday, 43 survivors of the deadly attacks were being treated at eight different hospitals in the province, with 14 at the Surabaya Surgical Hospital, seven at RKZ Hospital, six at Bhayangkara Police Hospital, five each at Siloam Hospital and Premier Hospital Surabaya, three at Dr. Soetomo Hospital, two at William Booth Hospital and one in Ramelan Navy Hospital.

President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo flew to Surabaya on Sunday, visiting one of the bombing scenes and Bhayangkara Police Hospital.

The President called on the public to remain calm but alert. “May the victims rest in peace and I wish a speedy recovery for the survivors. The government will cover their entire medical costs,” he said.