The mother of regional Qld teenager Lilly Hayes has opened up about the tragic loss of her beloved youngest daughter who was critically injured in a horror crash eight days after her 15th birthday.
Meagan Hayes fought back tears as she spoke about Lilly, who was a “bright, bubbly, loveable kid,” and an “easy kid to parent”.
“She never got grounded, she was the best kid,” Ms Hayes said.
“We (Meagan and Lilly’s father David Starr) were really lucky parents.”
Lilly tragically died six days after the crash, which occurred near Gunalda on Saturday, June 10.
She was the passenger in a blue sedan travelling along Miva Rd about 2.30pm when it collided with a 4WD carrying six people heading in the other direction.
David Starr, Briana Muller and Jacob Hayes and with daughter Sophia, and Lilly Hayes, taken two weeks before the crash.
Lilly and the unidentified 23-year-old male driver suffered critical injuries in the crash.
They were flown to separate hospitals in Brisbane.
Police investigations into the crash are continuing.
Lilly Hayes’ mother, Meagan, said the 15-year-old “social butterfly” loved the outdoors.
Ms Hayes was in Brisbane at the time her world turned upside down.
“I got a phone call about four minutes to four (PM), saying she had been in a big car crash,” Ms Hayes said.
She was asked if there was anyone who would be able to fly in the rescue helicopter with Lilly as she was taken to Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital in a critical condition.
Lilly Hayes with her nanny Jennifer Ward.
Ms Hayes arrived at the hospital the same time as the helicopter landed.
“I saw her fly in above me,” Ms Hayes said.
“I just hoped for the best.”
Sadly, those hopes were shattered when Lilly succumbed to her injuries, leaving her parents and family, including eldest brother Jacob, his partner Briana Muller and their daughter Sophia, Lilly’s her second eldest brother Seth Starr and elder sister Emma devastated.
A collage of pictures of Lilly and Meagan Hayes together.
The family had moved from Caboolture to Curra about five years ago, Ms Hayes said.
Lilly had been a student at Two Mile State School before moving on to James Nash State High School.
A “social butterfly” and “loved by her teachers”, she “loved being outdoors” and had recently learned to ride a motorbike in the past year, Ms Hayes said.
She enjoyed taking a golf buggy Ms Hayes owned herself, and enjoyed riding around on quad bikes too.
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Ms Hayes thanked her the community for their support following the crash, saying she just wanted everyone to know Lilly who was “bubbly, sassy, stubborn … but had a heart of gold”.
“She’d giver he jumper to anyone,” Ms Hayes said.
More than $7400 has been raised through a GoFundMe campaign launched following the crash.
Contributors included Lily Zrehen, who tragically lost her 14-year-old son Levi when he was struck by a car at Tin Can Bay Rd, Canina, in February.
Ms Hayes said she had not