‘He lit up our wedding’: Father’s tribute to son killed in crash
Heartbroken father Adrian McPhee is cherishing one of the last messages from his son as he comes to grips with his death in a car crash.
Heartbroken father Adrian McPhee is cherishing one of the last messages from his son as he comes to grips with his tragic loss.
Lachlan McPhee, who was a ring-bearer at his dad’s wedding signed a card “from your favourite son”.
“In case that there was another one coming he was always the favourite first son,” Mr McPhee said.
The Mackay dad is reeling after the loss of the 18-year-old, better known as Locky, who had been driving with a friend southbound on the Bruce Hwy when the vehicle struck a B-double truck at 1.12am on November 15.
Mr McPhee shared how his son’s dream to become a commercial diver was cut short only weeks away from securing his licence.
It was one of the many ambitions Locky had as his father remembered the “gentle soul” who had a mountain of potential.
“The ticket he was going to do could have taken him all over the world,” he said.
“All teenagers could be ratbags at times but he had so much real ambition to do great things.”
Known for his smile and someone “full of love”, he was the type of person who would be there for anyone going through a rough time, wanting everyone to keep going on.
Sharing memories of his late son, Mr McPhee said it had only been a week since he flew back down from Perth to have his wedding and celebrate Locky’s 18th birthday, a moment he will cherish forever as he saw his young son with a smile on his face “the whole time” as ring bearer.
“He lit up our wedding,” he said, adding he bought his son a new gold chain which he wore proudly.
Locky is survived by his dad, mum, stepdad and stepmum, little sister and little brother, four cousins and grandfather Peter McPhee, who were inseparable as Locky took on the fatherly tradition of boat salvaging and a love of cars.
“His relationship with his grandfather was huge. They worked together everyday for the past year pretty much,” he said.
But the teen’s radiant energy was felt by everyone around him as he was at one point known by West Mackay residents as that young boy who rode around on a bike with a pram attached to the back, collecting the neighbourhood cans for cash.
“He’d ride around with that and pick up bags and drop them off with old bags then go back home and dump them into a big bag,” Mr McPhee said
“That paid for half of one of the cars we took up to Proserpine.
“I’d say jump and he said how high. Whatever I told him to do with no questions asked.”
“I knew he was very popular with lots of friends but I had no idea how deep it ran.”
Friends and family will lay Locky to rest on November 28 and say goodbye to the “loyal friend” and “bright personality” they all loved.
