SYDNEY teenager and Bali survivor Kristie Webster has urged all Australians to wear a smile today to remember the people killed in last weekend’s tragedy.

Kristie, who lost her mother Robyn in the bombing, spoke for the first time yesterday about the horrific events in Bali. She asked Australians to forget the gruesome images of the past week and instead “try to remain as positive as possible”.

The grieving Websters will attend the Australians Together ceremony today, to watch their family friend Nikki Webster perform a song in memory of Robyn Webster. The families are not related.

Nikki Webster revealed yesterday that her performance would be one of the most emotional of her life as she remembered a woman she has known since she was born.

Kristie, 15, said that “as hard as it might be, I hope everyone will go out today and try to be as positive as possible”.

“It doesn’t matter if people can’t find any wattle, as long as they are all wearing a smile, that’s the important thing.”

It was only two years ago when Kristie and her mother Robyn made an excited phone call to Nikki to congratulate her on her performance at the Olympic opening ceremony. But last week, the message on Nikki’s phone was the worst imaginable: Robyn and Kristie had been in Bali when the attack occurred.

At the tribute in The Domain today, Nikki will sing Over The Rainbow.

“It will definitely be emotional, but I’m just doing it for them. I’m doing it to tell them how much I love them,” Nikki said yesterday.

“We all need to try and help the families who have lost people, because they just don’t know what to do. I mean, some of the bodies haven’t even been found. It’s so terrible.”

Kristie was one of a group of teenage girls dancing inside the Sari Club. Several of them lost their mothers in the explosion.

She has been receiving treatment all week for serious burns to her back but will still be among mourners at the ceremony today.

“I would be so proud to see everyone mark today in a special way,” she said.

“It doesn’t matter if people knew any of the victims. The fact is, we are all Australians and while my own personal thoughts will be with my mum, being Australian is what today is all about.”

Nikki recalled some of the happy times the families had shared together. “They were just the nicest people, it was a great family,” she said. “Robyn got on with everybody.”

Australians Together starts at 11.30am in The Domain.

By EAMONN DUFF and CHRISTINE SAMS

Source: The Sun-Herald