With the first of five funerals for the teenage victims of last week’s devastating Buxton crash taking place yesterday, Wollondilly Shire Council has launched a touching and colourful tribute to the young lives tragically lost.
“With funerals for the five kids tragically killed at Buxton happening over the next few days we’re asking everyone in the Wollondilly community to commemorate those lost and show their support for their families and friends by putting out balloons, streamers or similar on your letterboxes or outside your home from [Thursday] until Tuesday morning,” the Council wrote in a Facebook post.
“Any colours will do but if you’re able to the families have requested you use the following colours in your decorations in commemoration of each of those we’ve lost.”
The balloon colours nominated by the families of the crash victims are:
Sky blue for Gabriella (Gabby) McLennan
Pink for Summer Williams
Pink or mauve for Lily Van de Putte
Grey or Silver for Antonio (Tony) Desisto
Orange and Black for Tyrese Bechard
Picton High School students were given the day off school to attend 16-year-old Tyrese’s funeral yesterday, with many lining the roadside as the teenager’s family departed the funeral service.
“This initiative has been put together based on an idea from the community and has the support of all five families,” the Mayor said of the balloon tribute.
A GoFundMe campaign set up by local resident, Melissa Davies, has raised more than $17,800 for the victims’ families.
Council has also activated its Mayoral Relief Fund to provide financial support to the families directly affected by the crash.
It says contributions will go directly to the families and any additional funds raised will go toward youth mental health and driver safety campaigns in the local area.
“We are a resilient community that unites together during times like this, and it has been heartening to see people coming together to support each other during this difficult time.”
“Council is committed to providing whatever support we can, and although we can’t take away the emotional pain, we hope that we can at least alleviate some of the financial stress at this time,” said Mayor Gould.
You can donate to the Mayoral Relief Fund online or in person at Council’s Administration Building.
