EXCLUSIVE
The fiancée of a football coach, father of two, who fell to his death in a luxury Bali hotel, has spoken out after she was banned from attending his funeral.
Zagi Kozarov, a 50-year-old mother of two, desperately tried to save Zoran Vidovic, 53, as he teetered on the edge of a restaurant terrace on the top floor of the Apurva Kempinski Hotel in Sawangan, Nusa Dua, the last month.
She was unable to catch him and he fell 8 meters into a garden below, suffering serious injuries and later dying after hotel staff transported him to hospital in the back of a car.
Mr Vidovic’s body was flown back to Australia after the January 28 tragedy, and a memorial service was held at GHMBA Stadium in his hometown of Geelong, Victoria, on February 23.
However, Kozarov says he was prevented from joining hundreds of friends and family who filled the stadium’s huge social hall to say goodbye to him.
Zagi Kozarov, fiancee of football coach and father-of-two Zoran Vidovic, who fell to his death in a luxury Bali hotel, has spoken out after being banned from attending a memorial service for him.
Vidovic, 53, died after falling eight meters from the terrace of the Bai Yun restaurant at the Apurva Kempinski Hotel (pictured) in Sawangan, Nusa Dua, at around 7.30pm on January 28.
Zagi Kozarov says he was even banned from attending the memorial service (pictured) for Zoran Vidovic, where hundreds of mourners packed the GHMBA stadium social hall.
She says she, her friends and family have even been blacklisted from leaving tributes on the funeral home website set up in her memory.
The couple had been in a four-year relationship at the time of her death, and were making wedding plans after Vidovic presented Kozarov with a ring just before flying to Bali for a three-week stay at the five-week resort. stars.
But she says she has been rejected and silenced by Vidovic’s ex-wife and family.
The packed ceremony heard from friends and family, including Vidovic’s daughters Bella, 21, and Lulu, 18, but Kozarov’s name was never mentioned.
“His family strongly warned me to stay away,” the Melbourne lawyer told Daily Mail Australia.
‘They didn’t approve of our relationship and didn’t want us together.
‘I respect and understand that people suffer in different ways, and seek to assign blame to deal with the pain of losing a loved one.
“They’re in a world of hurt and that’s to be expected, but they forget that I loved him deeply too.”
‘I am heartbroken that I was not allowed to attend my partner/fiancé’s funeral. I was unable to share my pain with others over the loss of my beloved Zoran.
“Our love was not recognized or validated even though everyone, including his sports club, his friends and his family, knew about our relationship.
“This has made my grief even more intense, especially as my family, friends and I were excluded from attending the day of his funeral… and yet Zoran shared a close relationship with all of us.”
She said she had been the victim of a cruel rumor campaign against her after the tragedy and had now been written out of her life story.
“I hear all the cruel unfounded rumors going around Geelong about me from some people who don’t even know me,” he revealed.
‘My message to them is that regardless of the circumstances surrounding the pain, my pain is real and the pain you all feel is valid.
Zagi Kozarov (left), says she and her partner, Australian father-of-two Zoran Vidovic (right), had discussed wedding plans after he gave her a ring before their holiday in Bali.
The packed ceremony heard from friends and family, including Vidovic’s daughters Bella, 21, and Lulu, 18, but Kozarov’s name was never mentioned.
The tragedy unfolded after Ms Kozarov was led to one of the hotel’s restaurant’s outdoor terraces, where she saw Mr Vidovic on the wrong side of a glass barrier at the edge of the terrace.
‘I understand that some people don’t know how to respond to something that isn’t often discussed, such as grief resulting from a sudden, horrible tragedy.
‘(But) all condolences written by people affiliated with Zoran and I, honoring Zoran and I and paying respects to both of them and our respective families, have been deliberately removed from their tribute page.
‘His family and some members of the Geelong community, such as the Bell Park Dragons Sports Club (who knew me well), have ostracized me and even the funeral home holding his funeral.
‘This has made me feel isolated, alone and unsupported, and I was unable to share my experiences of loving Zoran and the magical moments we shared together.
“Basically, those who knew us knew that we shared a strong bond and unconditional love for each other.”
Kozarov had previously told Daily Mail Australia about his fight to save Vidovic.
She revealed how she begged him to think about their future together and their daughters as he stood precariously on the wrong side of a glass barrier on the terrace of the hotel restaurant.
Kozarov grabbed him by the shirt to try to pull him to safety, but was unable to hold him before he fell backwards and plummeted to his death.
“I looked him in the eyes and told him I loved him, and I tried to get him to come back,” she cried as she relived the heartbreaking incident.
“But I’m only 5’3”; she couldn’t throw it over the glass barrier.
“I was surrounded by 15 to 20 men, but they weren’t doing anything. They were just talking on their walkie-talkies.
‘They could have saved him but no one did anything to help me. No one was trying to save him.
The tragedy occurred just three weeks after Vidovic last saw his family at his daughter Bella’s 21st birthday party, two nights before flying to Bali with Kozarov.
Heartbroken Kozarov, 50, previously revealed how he begged Vidovic to think about their future together – and their daughters Bella, 21, and Lulu, 18 – as he teetered on the brink .
Friends paid tribute to Zoran Vidovic’s sporting achievements after the tragedy
“It’s a night we will never forget, because it was the night most of us saw you last,” youngest daughter Lulu told mourners at the service.
‘When we said goodbye at the end of the night, I never thought it would be the last time we would see each other and my last hug from dad.
‘I never imagined that at my age I wouldn’t be able to (hug you) again.’
His sister Bella added: “You’ve left a huge, Zoran-sized hole in my heart that can never be filled.”
‘Someday I hope to meet someone with all your qualities to be the father of my children. Everything I do in life I will now do for you.’
Daily Mail Australia has contacted Mr Vidovic’s family for comment.
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