Drowning Tragedy

By Bev Jordan

Community support has wrapped around a student nurse who lost her 10-year-old son Mahan and her husband Peter during the last day of the school holidays.

The Hills family had travelled to Little Bay for a day at the beach when a freak wave swept Peter and his son off the rock where they were fishing on January 31st.

Emergency services were alerted just after 3pm. Sara watched helplessly as rescue efforts were launched to save her family.

Her husband was pulled from the water by Surf Lifesavers and his son was winched from the water by the Westpac Rescue Helicopter. Paramedics performed CPR; however, both died at the scene. It is believed the father had dived in to save his son when he fell from the rocks. A report is being prepared for the coroner.

A Go Fund Me page launched by Hills Family Funerals raised over $10,800 in five days. Organiser Brianna Pincott said it was a wonderful response from the community.

On the Go Fund page she said the mum would now have to cease her studies training as a Registered Nurse to find a job as her husband was the sole breadwinner.

“Her whole world has changed, and it is unimaginable for us to comprehend. We are setting this fundraiser up to be able to provide the mother with assistance and assurance that she will have funds to support her, even for a little bit. We ask our community to band together and help assist this mother and wife whose life has completely changed forever. All funds raised will go directly to the family.”

In an update on Wednesday (February 9th) Brianna said: “Sara would like to thank everyone for their donations. She is overwhelmed by the support from her community. “

Sara will be using the donations that have been raised to fund the headstones at the cemetery for her late husband and son, who will be laid to rest this week.

The Go Fund Me page for Peter and Mahan can be found at gofundme.com search for Assistance for the family of the Little Bay tragedy. Police are urging people, no matter how good a swimmer they are, to wear a life jacket when on or in the water.

On January 19th the body of a 32-yearold father-of-two was found almost 48 hours after he disappeared while in the Hawkesbury River at Laughtondale, near Wisemans Ferry.

The man and his family and friends were on a house boat when the men and two children decided to use the tender, on approaching the rear of the house boat the 32-year-old dived from the tender to swim a short distance to the house boat