Adelaide family caught up in Paris during attack

Adelaide local Harry Tavlaridis found himself caught up in Paris on the day of the deadliest attacks to hit the French capital since World War II.
Fresh from completing the Athens marathon, the 50-year-old was visiting Paris with his wife Anastasia and their 10-year-old daughter Olga for sightseeing and a bit of recovery.
After visiting the Eiffel Tower and the Arc de Triomphe, they arrived back to their hotel room to see the news of the unfolding events.
“Family frantically contacted us to confirm we were safe and then we understood what had happened,” Harry told Neos Kosmos.
“We hadn’t visited those places specifically but we could recognise some major roads around them and thought it was surreal that we had only recently been in those areas, doing a leisurely drive around Paris earlier that day.”
Staying 30 kilometres outside the Paris city centre, the family decided to keep away from popular tourist spots following the events, opting instead to visit local malls and try and shield their daughter from the inescapable news and imagery that was unfolding.
Harry said the local mood was inconceivable, in a country that has a booming multicultural buzz.
“One of the striking things we noticed before the attacks was how well integrated the French society was. We witnessed many cross-ethnic families enjoying the Parisian lifestyle, which made the attacks even more incomprehensible.
“Travelling around the countryside a day later, we noticed that though people seemed to go about their lives as usual, there was an edge, a nervousness, and an awareness of foreigners amongst the small groups sipping coffee at cafés.”
Despite the tragic events that struck Paris, the Tavlaridis family was celebrating Harry’s major achievement of completing the gruelling 42-kilometre Athens marathon a few days earlier.
After shedding 27 kilograms in a 20-month period, Harry sprang into action when he was nearing the age of 50, joining a local gym in North Adelaide, and sticking to a stringent meal plan to cut down fat and build muscle.

“I decided I would take control and be not only slim but fit as well. I wanted to show my kids I had the dedication to my own health for their sake, and also that they could join me and live fit lives into the future.”
It was a friend that encouraged him to set his marathon goal, in order to challenge himself beyond just losing weight.
“I’ve always been of the view that extraordinary achievements are realised when one is suitably challenged. When I thought about which of all the marathons around the world I should aim for, I couldn’t go past the original – and so the adventure began.”
Harry explained that it was the thought of his daughters that spurred him on throughout, and the fact that he was in the birth-country of his family.
“I thought of my daughters and their daily battle with T1Diabetes, and thought if they can struggle every day, I can do this just once.
“I also felt extremely proud of the fact that as a Greek Australian, I returned to my homeland to complete my challenge.”
And for him the icing on the cake was completing the marathon run with Olga.
“My daughter, who was waiting for me to finish the marathon, jumped the security fence as I came into the stadium and ran the last 100m with me to the finishing line. I loved her spontaneity, and she showed me how proud she was of her father. She kissed and hugged me when we crossed the line, a moment that I will always remember and cherish dearly.”
Harry finished the Athens Marathon 10,155th out of 11,834, with a time of five hours, 44 minutes and 21 seconds.