Family of hero kindergarten worker Eleanor Bryant gives heartbreaking tribute to ‘cherished mother, wife, daughter, sister’
The family of beloved Riddells Creek kindergarten worker Eleanor Bryant has paid tribute to a “cherished mother, wife, daughter and sister” who was “the light of our lives”.
Victoria
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The family of a kindergarten worker killed when a truck ploughed into her pre-school says it has lost “the light of our lives”.
Mother of two Eleanor Bryant, 43, died trying to push children out of the path of an out-of-control truck as it crashed into Macedon Ranges Montessori Pre-School in Main Rd, Riddells Creek, about 2.20pm on Monday.
A three-year-old boy was also injured in the tragedy.
In a statement, Mrs Bryant’s family described her as a “cherished mother, wife, daughter and sister”.
“We are devastated by the loss of our beautiful Eleanor.
“She was the light of our lives: a cherished mother, wife, daughter and sister, and beloved by all her family and enormous network of friends.
“Her infectious smile, sense of humour and passion for life made her a joy to be around.
“There is an enormous hole in our hearts today.
“We thank the emergency services for their tireless work and the public for their beautiful tributes.
“We will miss her like crazy.
“We thank you for respecting our privacy at this difficult time.”
Mrs Bryant, a speech pathologist and mother of an 11-year-old boy and nine-year-old girl, died at the scene, while the little boy was taken to the Royal Children’s Hospital with serious injuries to his arm.
The truck driver Frank Castellucci, 68, from Broadford was still in hospital on Tuesday.
Flowers piled up outside the kindergarten’s gates on Tuesday morning as several distraught community members visited the site to lay tributes.
The kindergarten was closed on Tuesday.
A GoFundMe page was created to support Mrs Bryant’s husband Tim and two children.
“Much loved Eleanor was tragically killed in a crash at Riddells Creek on Monday 11 November,” the fundraiser read.
“Friends, and members of the community, are asking how they can support Eleanor’s family and this page is being established in her honour with the blessing of her husband, Tim.
“Funds will support Tim and Eleanor’s beautiful children in the future.”
Sunbury resident Louise said she was at the Riddells Creek Neighbourhood House when the out of control truck ploughed into the neighbouring preschool.
She described hearing what sounded “like an excavator” as the truck crashed into the kindergarten, before being ordered to evacuate the premises.
“We were in the garden playing mahjong, I heard a noise and I said someone must be excavating,” she said.
“The next minute they came running in and said get out because they thought it might have been a fire.
“We rushed out, and we were obviously all concerned once we realised what had happened so we hung around and waited and watched.
“We heard someone say ‘it’s not looking good’ or ‘that doesn’t look pretty’.
“We also saw the two chaps climb out of the truck and they looked fairly unscathed, I mean there was a bit of blood … on the forehead or something.
“I just think if that truck had veered slightly it could have been me, it only stopped two metres from where I was sitting.
“I feel so sorry for those two kids who haven’t got a mother anymore, it’s just awful, the absolute worst.
“It’s something you’ll never be able to understand.”
Mrs Bryant — who was originally from NSW but had moved to Riddells Creek after five years in Melbourne — had heroically pushed children out of the way of the truck to protect them.
Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Shane Patton said Mrs Bryant was “so brave” in her efforts to save the young children.
“It’s an absolute tragedy. A tragedy for the family and friends of Eleanor and also the three-year-old child who was injured and taken to hospital,” he told ABC Radio Melbourne.
“I’m led to believe she acted heroically and moved a number of young children out of the way of the vehicle … so brave, just so brave.”
Mr Patton said the driver of the truck was still in hospital and was on Tuesday morning yet to be interviewed.
He was unable to confirm previous reports that the driver, 68, had suffered a medical episode.
“He is still under observation in hospital as I understand. He has not yet been interviewed. We will endeavour to interview him as soon as we can, once medically cleared to do so,” he added.
“We’re not going to rule anything in, and we’re not going to rule anything out at this stage.
“We’re not in a position to confirm any of that, it’s very early days.”
Community mourns Eleanor Bryant
The two teachers of Mrs Bryant’s primary school aged children were among the chorus of mourners paying their respects at the pre-school on Tuesday.
Caitriona Goldworthy and Michelle Webb described Eleanor as “a beautiful person” who was adored within the community.
Ms Goldsworthy, the grade six teacher at Riddell Creek Primary, said Eleanor worked as a speech pathologist at multiple schools including her own children’s.
“She’s a wealth of knowledge, she helped us teachers with a lot of questions we had regarding educational things,” she said.
“She worked with children at our school, and children at other schools.
“She was helping one little boy in particular here yesterday I believe.
“So there’s many children with families that would know Eleanor, I don’t think you’d find anyone who hasn’t had something to do with her in this community.
“She’s obviously well loved, and I didn’t even know her like everybody else.”
Ms Webb said she had recently been on school camp with one of Eleanor’s children, who she teaches in year three, and had gotten to know the “beautiful kid who deserves a mum.”
“She (Eleanor) was a beautiful person, always willing to help,” she said.
Ms Goldsworthy added she was a chatterbox who was “always up for a chat.”
“We’re a small school of only 270 kids, our principal is holding it together for all of us,” she said.
“We’ve been briefed on what to tell our students, but how on earth do you navigate that conversation?”
A family friend paid tribute to Mrs Bryant.
“We are absolutely devastated,” the friend said.
“Eleanor was the person that lit up every room she walked into. Her infectious smile, sense of humour and love for her family and friends made her a joy to be around.
“She put everyone else first.”
One woman said her grandson attended the pre-school where he took speech therapy lessons from Ms Bryant.
“She was at my daughter’s house last week for my grandson,” the woman said.
“It’s really, really sad, she’s so upset.”
At a press conference on the scene of the tragedy on Monday, Detective Senior Sergeant Christian Von Tunk said while “tragic”, the outcome “could have been a lot worse”, with several staff and children in and near the playground area at the time.
“This is one of those close calls that I don’t know how only one person has died,” he said.
“It’s unbelievable.”
Senior Sergeant Von Tunk said he couldn’t imagine what parents would be going through when rushing to pick up their kids from the pre-school.
“I dare to say there’ll be some kids getting squeezed very tightly tonight. That’s a really rough one,” he said.
The driver of the truck, a 68-year-old man from Broadford, was taken to hospital in a stable condition and is assisting police with their inquiries.
It is believed the “experienced driver” may have suffered a medical episode.
In a statement, the truck driver’s employer, McKenzie Water, said it was “devastated” by the incident.
“We are in shock and offer our heartfelt condolences to everyone involved,” owner Alan McKenzie said.
“As a small, family-owned business, we are devastated following the tragic crash … this is an incredibly distressing time, and our deepest sympathies go to those involved and their families and friends.
“Sadly, one person has lost their life, and a child has been injured.
“Our experienced 68-year-old driver is understood to have suffered a medical episode and remains in hospital. We are doing what we can to support him and his family. We thank staff and emergency workers who responded. We are assisting authorities with their investigations.”
Witnesses near the scene said they heard a “massive bang” when the truck crashed.
It is understood to have hit a power pole before careering into the kindergarten.
Riddells Creek mum Jessica Jenkin, 28, said the community was in shock.
“I wouldn’t wish this upon anyone,” she said.
“We all know each other (in this community). We never thought anything like this would ever happen. Especially in a small country town like this.
“Nothing like this, as severe or bad, has happened. It’s so scary.
“As a mum of four, it’s very heartbreaking and tragic that this happened.”
Macedon MP, Minister Mary-Anne Thomas, said her thoughts were with the victims’ loved ones, as she thanked the first responders on the scene.
“This is a terrible incident and our thoughts are with the family of the victims and the broader Riddells Creek community,” she said.
It’s the third time that a vehicle has crashed into buildings across Victoria in a matter of weeks.
Jim and Carmel Madden — aged 81 and 80 respectively — died on October 26 after a truck travelling east on the Princes Hwy towards Warrnambool veered onto the wrong side of the highway and into their Tower Hill home about 7am.
Just days later on October 29, 11-year-old Jack Davey was killed when a car ploughed into Auburn South Primary.
Four other children were injured in the incident.
Originally published as Family of hero kindergarten worker Eleanor Bryant gives heartbreaking tribute to ‘cherished mother, wife, daughter, sister’
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