How Queenslanders responded to tragedy with incredible generosity

From a motocross champion’s sudden death to a young mother’s desperate cancer battle, Queensland’s darkest moments have also revealed the state’s extraordinary compassion.

Faces of five of the most heartbreaking Queensland stories in 2025.

From a motocross champion’s sudden death to a young mother’s desperate cancer battle, Queensland’s darkest moments have also revealed the state’s extraordinary compassion.

On Sunday, April 27 the Queensland motocross community was rocked to the core when Kingaroy man Joel Evans was killed in a motorsport event in South Australia.

What made the circumstances even more tragic was that Mr Evans left behind his fiancee Michaela Hurt, who was due to give birth to the couple’s first child in October 2025.

As a testimony to how beloved Mr Evans was, more than 400 people attended his funeral in South Burnett.

A generous public raised more than $322,000 for Joel Evan’s fiancee.

Michaela Hurt and Joel Evans. Photo: Instagram

Tragedy also befell Brisbane’s Vrbescis family who lost two members of their family on Australia Day this year.

Chris Vrbesic and his four-year-old son Julian were in Mr Vrbesic’s classic, limited-edition Holden Commodore VK Brock sedan when it was involved in a two-vehicle crash at the intersection of Rickertt Rd and Chelsea Rd, Ransome.

The Manly West man died at the scene, while Julian was taken to the Queensland Children’s Hospital, where he later died.

The father and son left behind family member’s Maria and her children Myla and Vinnie.

More than $265,000 was raised for the Vrbescis family via the GoFundMe platform.

Chris Vrbesic died at the scene of the crash on Australia Day while his four-year-old son died later in hospital.

Sudden death wasn’t the only circumstances which broke the heart of Queenslanders.

In August 2024 the state learnt of the tragic story of a young mother who was fighting for life with stage four melanoma.

Maddy Pepper, 33, was having to travel to war torn Israel in August to seek medical treatment for her cancer in the hopes she would get more time to spend with her six-month-old baby.

Only two countries across the globe offer Tumour-infiltrating Lymphocytes Immunotherapy (TIL).

The treatment costs $1.5 million in the US and $250,000 in Israel.

Maddy Pepper at home with her six month old son Eddie, before travelling to Tel Aviv for treatment for her stage 4 melanoma. Picture Lachie Millard

Ironically, TIL trials were set to begin in Queensland in late September but for Ms Pepper waiting even a day lowered her chances of survival.

Queenslander Ben Lewis was in a similar position, being diagnosed in February 2024 with terminal bowel cancer.

According to family and friends, Mr Lewis had no symptoms but by the time it was discovered, the cancer had already spread to his lymph nodes and liver.

Despite major surgery and intensive chemotherapy the cancer was later found to be irreversible.

Mr Lewis’s situation was made worse as he was also the primary carer for his wife Melle who suffered a debilitating stroke.

Mr Lewis died in October 2025 with his wife by his side.

Ben Lewis was diagnosed with bowel cancer and died in October 2025. Picture from GoFundMe.

In August Queensland was rocked by an act of pure senselessness when Stapylton man Ashley Sabry was left a paraplegic after allegedly being thrown from a balcony due to a car sale dispute.

Police and paramedics were called to Mr Sabry’s home in Stapylton on the northern Gold Coast about 1pm on August 9.

Superintendent Brett Jackson said police found the 52-year-old lying on the ground and he was taken to Princess Alexandra Hospital in Brisbane in a serious condition.

Ashley Sabry, 52, with his partner Mary. Picture: Go Fund Me

New figures from GoFundMe showed that the public raised more than $322,000 for Joel Evan’s fiancee while more than $265,000 was raised for the Vrbescis family.

More than $232,000 was raised for Ms Pepper’s cancer treatment in Israel and more than $187,000 was raised to give support to Ben Lewis and his wife during the former’s final months alive and to ensure Mr Lewis’s wife had the support she needs after her husband died.

More than $206,000 was also raised to support Mr Sabry and his wife in dealing with the ongoing medical treatment and adjust to Mr Sabry’s new condition as a paraplegic.

The five stories not only represented tragedy but also were the top five GoFundMe Queensland campaigns in 2025.

In further evidence of the generosity of Queenslanders, four of the top 10 most generous GoFundMe Australian cities in 2025 were in Queensland.

Coming in first place based on number of donors per capita was Bundaberg.

This was followed by Mackay in third place, Hervey Bay in fourth place, Toowoomba in fifth place and Rockhampton in tenth place.

Regional Director for GoFundMe Australia, Nicola Britton called the generosity of Australian’s “inspiring.”

“Whether it’s by making a donation or sharing a fundraiser, Aussies continue to prove that they have each other’s backs,” she said.

“This year marks a decade of Australians helping one another on GoFundMe, and the Aussie spirit of giving shows that when needs grow, they respond with even more generosity.”