Ethan Durnsford tributes flow after Peak Downs Highway crash

As much as Ethan Durnsford was loved, so too is his family. The community is embracing them in a warm glow of support after tragedy struck in a Peak Downs Highway crash.

Ethan Durnsford, 18, is being remembered for his warm heart, red hair and all-round great nature after he died in a collision between a ute and B-double truck on the Peak Downs Highway near Nebo about 5.15am Sunday. Picture: Supplied

Three tiny faces look up smiling at the camera, a precious giggle caught on camera is now a treasured memory.

Four youngsters standing by the water, a glimpse of red hair poking out from below a cap worn by one of them in a high-vis shirt.

The cap, the shirt and the red hair would become a sort of trademark for the youngster Ethan Durnsford whose mates would go on to call him ‘Ranga’ – a term his mum Jenny Durnsford never encouraged.

The photos have become treasured memories for the Durnsford family as they come to terms with the loss of their son, heartened by the groundswell of emotional support embracing them in the wake of Ethan’s tragic death.

Friends and family have shared touching tributes to Ethan Durnsford who died in a head-on collision on his way home from seeing his brother in Moranbah on Sunday.

Mr Durnsford, 18, was asleep as the passenger in a Nissan dual-cab ute when it and a B-double truck collided on the Peak Downs Highway about 5.15am Sunday.

He had left his parents’ home in Bowen late Saturday to see his younger brother Rohan who was camping in Moranbah.

Mr Durnsford’s parents Craig and Jenny are coming to grips with the tragedy as they asked for those who knew him to share recent photos of their eldest son.

“I don’t understand the choices they made Saturday night,” Mrs Durnsford said.

Payton Brewster shared a photo of a young Ethan from a family fishing trip. He was about 10 years old.

Jenny Bailey shared a photo of a baby Ethan taken at the Yalboroo house where the Durnsfords once lived.

Payton Brewster shared this photo of Ethan Durnsford (third from left) with the caption, 'Back when Ethan was a kid! I think he was about 10 we went fishing it was a great day out with the fam’. Picture: Payton Brewster/Facebook?

Ms Bailey also recalled the night Ethan was born: “Taking bets to see who would be born first, if I remember rightly, Ethan was born 11 minutes before Stephanie.

“My heart is breaking for you.”

Several photos of a young Ethan with his extended family have been shared on social media along an outpouring of condolences of the life cut short.

“I remember little Ethan living next door to mum and dad and he would love it when their grandchildren turned up so he could come and play too,” Jet Vella shared.

“My deepest sympathies to Craig and Jenny.”

Peter Retchless wrote: “So very sorry for your loss, thoroughly enjoyed having Ethan as one of my students.”

Luana Cochran Land wrote: “Gosh my heart aches for this family in this incredibly difficult time, he was such a caring young man.

“I’ll be forever grateful to have spent so many years with him.

“Sending so much love and strength to the family in this incredibly hard time.”

Mrs Durnsford said several people had been in contact with photos to share that would help the family remember their bushie with bright red hair.