I FEEL FOR LOVED ONES
HAUNTED HEAD-ON SURVIVOR I was going to stay back late at work but the boss didn’t need me so I left – and you think ‘what if?’
THE sole survivor of a horror head-on which claimed four young adult lives at the weekend is haunted by thoughts of "what if?”.
Gold Coast champion boxer Will Parsons, 31, was driving a ute which collided with four university students in a sedan. Police believe the sedan slid into his path on treacherous Nerang-Murwillumbah Rd.
“I was going to stay back late at work but the boss didn’t need me to, so I just left and you think about ‘what if’ but it doesn’t do any good to think about it like that,” he said. “I just feel so bad for all their families. It was miraculous I walked away.”
THE sole survivor of a horror road crash on the Gold Coast that left four young Queenslanders dead has told of his torn emotions at emerging from the ordeal virtually unscathed.
Will Parsons, 31, a Queensland champion boxer, was behind the wheel of a Volkswagen Amarok ute which was involved in the deadly crash at Advancetown on Saturday.
There is no suggestion Mr Parsons was at fault in the accident, as police believe the driver of the other vehicle, a Mazda 3, lost control and swerved on to the wrong side of the road in the wet.
All four people in the Mazda 3 – Kirsten Van Gorp (known as Elliott to friends), Courtney Smith, 20, Lochlan Parker, 20, and Katrina McKeough, 21 – died at the scene.
Ms Van Gorp’s parents yesterday issued an emotional tribute to the 22-year-old, vowing their child would live in their hearts forever.
Mr Parsons was taken to hospital suffering shock and minor injuries to his neck and hips but has since been released.
An electrician by trade, Mr Parsons is a professional boxer with 11 wins from 15 fights and he took out the Queensland super welterweight title in March.
Speaking yesterday about the horrific ordeal, Mr Parsons
said it was hard to put in to words.
“I’m so lucky to still be here and they were super unlucky,” he said.
“I was going to stay back late at work but the boss didn’t need me to, so I just left and you think about ‘what if’, but it doesn’t do any good to think about it like that.
“I just feel so bad for all their families. Four young people losing their lives like that, it’s just terrible.
“It was miraculous that I walked away, but it’s still pretty upsetting.”
After freeing himself from the mangled wreckage of his ute, Mr Parsons tried to help the people in the Mazda, but there was nothing he could do.
“I was down on my haunches for a bit because of the pain on my hips and back from the seatbelt and the airbag and then I went over and tried to see what I could do but they needed to be cut free,” he said.
Other motorists also stopped to help before emergency services could make their way to the Hinterland crash site about 10km west of Nerang.
Ms Van Gorp’s parents said their child was “a kind and beautiful soul”.
“(Kirsten) had a quirky and creative mind and made everyone smile,” they wrote in a statement. “(They) will live on forever in our hearts.”
Remembering the group of mates who had reunited for the university holidays, friend Jess Scott said “the loss of each of them is a loss to this world”.
I JUST FEEL SO BAD FOR ALL THEIR FAMILIES. FOUR YOUNG PEOPLE LOSING THEIR LIVES LIKE THAT, IT’S JUST TERRIBLE.