Hunter Valley bus smash: Grieving husband’s touching tribute to NSW victims

A grieving father has led an emotional tribute to his former South Australian wife and daughter, almost six months after they died in one of Australia’s worst bus crashes.

MG Flip is seen with the premiership cup during the 2023 AFLW Grand Final match. Graham McBride is second from left along with close family friend Alex Tigani (left). Picture: Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images

A grieving father has led an emotional tribute to his former South Australian wife and daughter, almost six months after they died in one of Australia’s worst bus crashes.

Nadene, 52, and Kyah McBride, 22, were among 10 people who died in a horror smash after returning from a wedding in the NSW Hunter Valley region, north of Sydney, on June 11.

At the weekend, Graham “Banger” McBride honoured their memory, and led tributes to the “footy mad” pair, at the AFLW grand final at Ikon Park, in Melbourne, on Sunday afternoon.

Mr McBride, who suffered neck injuries in the Kings birthday long weekend smash, stood as the premiership cup was delivered on the ground after vowing to “do my girls proud”.

Kyah and Nadene McBride from Singleton. Picture: supplied

The pair were mad Adelaide Crows’ fans. Picture: supplied

He also joined the guard of honour at the game, which also honoured his late wife and daughter.

Mrs McBride, who grew up in Leigh Creek in SA’s far north and attended Leigh Creek Area School, has been named an official AFLW community hero while her former Adelaide daughter was a rising star player with the Sydney Swans development squad.

The pair, avid Adelaide Crows fans, were also well known players for the Singleton Roosterettes – Nadene founder and coach and her electrician daughter one of their most important players.

Mr McBride, who wore a special guernsey with his girls’ names and numbers stitched in, fought tears as he vowed to continue their legacy and fight for what they believed in.

He has also been placing “kicking goals for Nads and Kyah” stickers in their memory all over the country.

Mr McBride, who also grew up in SA who married his wife in 1997 before moving to Singleton, near Newcastle, more than a decade ago, said the tributes were moving at the game, which Brisbane won after defeating North Melbourne.

Hunter Valley bus crash victims Kyah, Graham and Nadene McBride from Singleton. Picture: Facebook

Kyah, Graham and Nadene McBride. Picture: Facebook

“I think that cup will be full of happy tears and sad tears,” he told 7 News before the game.

“It’ll be a proud moment. (Nadene) bled Sherrin in her veins. Footy was everything to her.

“I’m going to do it for my girls … I bloody love them and they love their football.”

Family friend, Alex Tigani, said Mrs McBride was bound for an AFLW coaching job.

Kyah’s Tasmanian raised boyfriend Kayne Simons, 21, also died in the smash.

The others who died included Singleton locals Andrew Scott, 35, and his wife Lynan, 33, Tori Cowburn, 29, and Rebecca Mullen, aged in her early 20s as well as Zach Bray, 29, from Byron Bay, Angus Craig, 28, from Brisbane and Darcy Bulman, 30, from Melbourne.

Brett Andrew Button, 58, has yet to plead to 63 charges linked to the crash, which occurred with him allegedly behind the wheel of the bus.

It flipped near the Hunter Expressway at Greta on June 11, resulting in one of the country’s worst traffic fatalities.

He is due back in court next year.