Renae Lawrence

Finally home, the former drug mule is on a mission to get in good shape

SPORTING BAGGY CLOTHES AND A cap, convicted drug smuggler Renae Lawrence was spotted working up a sweat at a beachside park on the Central Coast of NSW on Monday, Nov. 26.

The 41-year-old, who spent 13 long years behind bars in Bali prisons after a failed plot to smuggle more than 8kg of heroin out of Indonesia in April 2005, could be seen doing push-ups, squats and lunges – and making the most of the sunshine, fresh air and coastline as she settles back into “normal” life following her release from Bangli Prison on Nov. 21.

Lawrence’s long-time friend David Willow tells WHO exclusively that Renae is eager to improve her health and shed 30kg now that she’s back on home soil, after her weight ballooned to 97kg during her imprisonment. “Renae’s the heaviest she’s ever been,” Willow says. “As you can imagine, she’s really insecure about her weight and that’s why she wants to get down to at least 65-75kg. That said, she knows it’s going to be hard work.”

In order to do so, Willow explains that Lawrence – who touched down at Brisbane airport on Nov. 22 to a media scrum before boarding a connecting flight to Newcastle with friends and family – plans to ditch the heavy carbs she regularly consumed while in jail, including rice and fried dishes, which make up a large part of Indonesian cuisine. Instead, she’s trying to eat as much fruit and vegetables as she can and cut out sugar.

“It’s all about a low-carb diet for Renae now,” Willow continues, adding Lawrence also hopes to quit cigarettes in the coming months. “She does smoke but she will be trying to give that up as soon as possible.”

On top of adopting better eating habits, Lawrence is also starting to exercise again to help her not just physically, but mentally, too.

“Renae has always enjoyed walking, jogging and playing soccer,” Willow says. “She also loves playing volleyball so she’s hoping to do all these things again.”

Speaking of Lawrence’s first few days of freedom, Willow says it’s been far from easy for her.

“It’s been up and down for Renae, and for now she’s just trying to cope mentally and slowly get back into regular day-to-day activities,” he says.

Lawrence, who worked as a panel beater in Newcastle prior to her arrest, was just 28 when she was caught at Denpasar airport with drugs strapped to her body, as part of a plot involving eight other Australians.

The only female in the now infamous drug-smuggling group, Lawrence was originally handed a life sentence for her involvement in the crime – which saw kingpins Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran executed by firing squad in 2015 – only for it to be reduced to 20 years on appeal. Lawrence is the first, and may possibly be the only member of the Bali Nine to return to Australia. •