IT’S ALL ABOUT RESPECT AS COMMUNITY MOURNS SUZY
SCOTT Wallace will never forget that phone call.
It was November 15, 2017 and Mr Wallace was at his favourite coffee shop waiting for his wife Suzy to finish her early morning cycle at Coolangatta.
“My phone rang and it was her phone, but it wasn’t her voice on the other end of the phone,” he said.
“I broke out in goosebumps and instantly knew something was not right.
“I zipped down to Coolangatta and eventually found her … there she was, on the side of the road. Massive facial injuries … massive.
“They were working frantically on her, but in my mind she was just concussed or unconscious. I was telling myself she’d be OK.”
She wasn't. Less than 48 hours later, after confirming Mrs Wallace had suffered a catastrophic brain injury that she would never recover from, Mr Wallace and doctors decided to turn off her life support.
Mrs Wallace, allegedly hit by a car travelling about 70km/h, did for others what she couldn’t do for herself later that day – she saved three lives via the donation of her organs.
About 850 people attended Mrs Wallace’s funeral. Her death is still being investigated by the Forensic Crash Unit.
As the anniversary of Mrs Wallace’s death approaches, her husband of almost 30 years wants to share a simple but poignant message to avoid another family feeling the hurt he has had to endure in the past year.
“Without a doubt I think there is an intolerance to cyclists. There is a conflict there,” he said.
“The risk for the cyclist is much higher and don’t I know it.
“Everyone is impatient, we’re in a society where everything is instant, if we’re not patient and take more time – the consequences are … this. It’s terrible to go through it, from Suzy’s point of view – it’s terrible for everyone.
“There was something magical about her, she had an aura.
“She was fearless as well. If there was a bang in the middle of the night she’d go look. I’m not afraid to say that I’d stand behind her.
“Even though she was quiet and not a really outgoing, chatty type of girl, she was fearless.”
Mrs Wallace’s cycling group has organised a commemorative ride on the first anniversary of her death, named Suzy’s Ride.
More than 30 riders with personalised gear have arranged to ride from North Burleigh to Kingscliff.