An eight-year-old girl involved in a South Coast road crash that killed her mother sought comfort from a fellow survivor - her family's brand new puppy - in the collision's heartbreaking aftermath.
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Friends and relatives are rallying to support the family of East Nowra hairdresser and mother-of-three Kyla Smith, who on Sunday succumbed to injuries stemming from the March 27 crash.
The 31-year-old and her daughter Azaria were making the 15-20 minute drive home after dropping Azaria's siblings Leilani (10) and Tariq (6) at school, when the family's car collided with a truck on Moss Vale Road at Cambewarra. near Nowra.
Mrs Smith was trapped for about 15 minutes before emergency services were able to free her.
Close family friend Laura Burn said Azaria, off school sick with tonsillitis that day, was able to free herself from the car's wreckage.
The little girl suffered a concussion and two broken legs. Good Samaritans were able to help comfort her with the family's new staffy puppy, Tarlar, who had been travelling in the car and thankfully survived the crash.
"[Azaria's] concern was for the puppy ... some of the people who were first on on the scene got Tarlar out so Azaria could see she was alright.
Mother-and-daughter rescue helicopters transported the pair to St George and Westmead Childrens' hospitals, respectively.
Ms Burn said her friend was part of a tightknit group of women who shared a love of 4WDs.
"If there was a muddy puddle, she was sending it through. Except she didn't like a dirty car, so as soon as we went home, she'd wash her car," she said.
Women in the group raised the alarm on the day of the accident when Mrs Smith was the only one not to respond to a group chat message.
"It was about an hour later we got the call through that ... they'd been airlifted," Ms Burn said.
"On Sunday we got the call to say that [Kyla] was gone.
"It's heartbreaking. I know that she'll be remembered for the beautiful, caring person that she was.
"She touched the lives of every single person that she met and it's not just a family in shock, it's a whole community."
Ms Burn has launched a gofundme campaign in support of her friend's devastated husband Shane Smith. Supporters have raised more than $17,000 to go towards lost income and Azaria's recovery, which continues in hospital.
"The nurses are amazed at her strength and her resilience despite her injuries. She's got a lot of healing to do, but she's a tough cookie."
Angela Thompson
Proudly Illawarra Mercury since 2008; these days covering crime and justice issues. UOW alum. Thrilled by the chase and sobered by some of the things I see and hear when I stand still - sometimes in the same day. ang.thompson@austcommunitymedia.com.au
Proudly Illawarra Mercury since 2008; these days covering crime and justice issues. UOW alum. Thrilled by the chase and sobered by some of the things I see and hear when I stand still - sometimes in the same day. ang.thompson@austcommunitymedia.com.au
