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Who is Bali Nine inmate Andrew Chan's wife?

Update: Andrew Chan and Febyanti Herewila married at Besi prison on Nusakambangan Island. The ABC reports the couple celebrated the wedding on Monday night.

Previously, Mamamia wrote:

Andrew Chan’s desperate plea to see his girlfriend before his transfer was ignored. But who is the woman who has stood by the Bali Nine inmate’s side during his incarceration?

It was the last plea from the Bali 9 ringleader as he was sent to ‘execution island’.

“Is it possible to meet my girlfriend?” he asked, according to News Corp.

Chan, one half of the Australia duo sentenced to die in Bali for drug trafficking, was being transferred from Bali’s Kerobokan jail on Wednesday when his brother and girlfriend turned up in the hopes of seeing and comforting Chan.

Heartbreakingly, both were denied one last time to see him before he was transferred to Nusakambangan island, where he will be executed by firing squad.

Feby Michael Chan bali 9
Feby with Andrew’s brother Michael leaving Kerobokan on Wednesday. Image: Getty.
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But who is the woman who has stood by Chan’s side during his time in prison?

Her name is Febyanti Herewila, or Feby for short, Fairfax Media reports. She is a lay preacher who  began visiting Kerobokan several years ago, inspired by her faith.

She became involved in counselling sessions for those inmates tackling drugs or depression, and grew close to Chan, who was at that time her colleague.

The pair are said to have led church services in Kerobokan, often leading hymns and choir songs with the other inmates and guards.

 

Their relationship bloomed over the past year, Chan’s religious studies supervisor Christie Buckingham told the Sydney Morning Herald.

Read more: Julie Bishop’s final attempt to save Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran.

Feby has reportedly visited the prison almost daily in the past few months.

“She’s been helping with different programs [in the prison] for a number of years,” Reverend Buckingham said.

“Feby has been a very good influence on him. They work very well together when they are providing services and ministering in the prison.”

Michael Chan bali 9
Michael Chan leaving Kerobokan on Wednesday. Image: Getty.
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“All I can say is that she has been a huge part or Andrew’s transformation and without her, [it] would have been really tough for him,” Chan’s brother Michael told Fairfax Media. “He thinks the world of her.”

Try this: Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran will not be executed this week.

Feby and Michael visited Chan early on Wednesday, unaware that hours later the call would be made to transfer the inmates to the island.

The pair rushed back to the prison as soon as they heard, hopes high that they might be able to say one final goodbye.

“We only went to the prison because we thought that they may let us [in],” Michael said. “It was a gamble as we knew we probably wouldn’t get to see him.”

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