COLD CASE: The hit and run crime that rocked Gympie

After two decades of grief, the father of a cyclist killed in a hit-and-run opens up over losing his son and the inquest that may bring answers.

ALMOST every day for 20 years, Arthur Edwards has driven past the place his son was left to die.

The Gympie father knows where and how his son was critically injured, but he doesn't know who was driving the car that knocked Brad Edwards off his push bike on Saturday, November 6, 1999.

The 21-year-old cyclist had been riding along Corella Rd, from his parents Chatsworth home to town in Gympie, when he was hit by a car that was later found dumped and identified as stolen.

He was found by a passing driver.

Mr Edwards received the phone call that night, before his son, who had a massive head injury, was airlifted to the Royal Brisbane Hospital and put on life support.

Two days later he died.

Cold case hit and run

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"The only thing that could be worse would be losing two children," Mr Edwards said yesterday, on the eve of the inquest into that terrible incident.

The grief was indescribable, Mr Edwards said, and the not knowing almost crippling.

For two decades, Mr Edwards said, it has been hard to know who to trust in the community, whether they were involved in his son's death or knew somebody who was.

They are feelings that have heightened as the three-day inquest gets underway today in Gympie court this morning.

"Not many days go by that you don't get a tear in your eye," Mr Edwards said.

"You think someone would have a conscience by now."

HIT AND RUN: The site where Brad Edwards was hit by a car that left him with fatal injuries.

Brad was a lovable practical joker and "just a great kid," Mr Edwards said.

He was popular amongst his friends at James Nash State School and was on track to full-time work as a glazier after completing an apprenticeship.

"He was a character - he was always joking and doing little tricks on people," Mr Edwards said.

Mr Edwards holds on to hope that someone will come forward with the crucial information to the case.

"If anyone reads this and knows anything please come forward," he said. "Because someone out there does know."

The inquest is scheduled to go for three days from 10am today.