It has been more than 24 years since infamous drug lord, trafficker and narco-terrorist Pablo Escobar was shot dead by Colombian National Police.
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Known as the ‘King of Cocaine’, Escobar’s rule over Colombia has become part of international history.
For one Tasmanian woman, however, Escobar played a small role in her personal life.
Felicity O’Neill was living in South Africa when she met Terry Tangney, a former Australian Army soldier and mercenary who had been working for Escobar in Colombia.
The pair married after three months and spent 17-and-a-half years together before separating in 2006.
Tragically, Terry took his own life later that year.
A small leather briefcase filled with pieces from his past remains in Felicity’s possession.
Handwritten notes, photographs and faded newspaper clippings tell stories of war, attempted bank robberies and Colombian cartels.
“Ever since I met him, even before I met him, he had piles and piles of stuff he had handwritten,” Felicity said.
The story of his mission to Colombia in 1988 stands out from the collection.
He spent three months training up fighters for who he thought was the Cali cartel, an enemy of Escobar.
When Terry discovered he was in fact working for Escobar’s Medellin cartel and against the Cali crew, Felicity said he “loved it”.
“I recall Terry saying they were very surprised to find out that Pablo was their main honcho [but] he thought it was great,” she said.
“He was very proud that he went there, everything he did he was proud of … but it messed him up.”
Almost coming face-to-face with the leader of one of the most powerful criminal organisations in history, Terry was “fascinated”.
“He found [Pablo] scary too … they went to his house … according to Terry, he saw him passing by as they were all talking but he had security around him and no one got close,” Felicity said.
“He used to say it was scary [in Colombia] but he was the kind of person that was scared of heights but then he became a paratrooper. He needed the adrenalin.”
Tales from Colombia weren't the only thing that led to Terry's ultimate struggle, Felicity said.
“I think his wartime in Angola was probably the worst thing because that was very violent whereas Colombia would have just been nerve wracking.”
After moving to Tasmania, Felicity began her journey to becoming a nurse and Terry continued with his writing.
“Once he did the Colombian thing I think he must have realised ‘okay now it’s time to settle’.”
Felicity holds the only copy of his book.
“I didn’t know what to do with it and I don’t know if it will ever be published …it tells everything about his life, it’s very violent because it really explains his feelings and what he did. He wanted people to know what he did.
“He was an amazing man, but really complex.”
Living in Deloraine with her current husband, Felicity said she would always remember her life with Terry.
“That was a different time in my life though, it was so overwhelmingly amazing and weird …. but he’s not someone you ever forget, he was just magnetic.”