GoFundMe launched for Mackay support worker’s new car

The lives of some disabled and elderly clients were altered when their “pillar of strength” lost her car in a devastating fire. Now they’re asking the community for help.

A local Mackay woman has asked for community support after her “pillar of strength” faced a devastating setback, narrowly escaping with her 12-year-old daughter.

Support worker and mother of five Megan Rigby’s car burst into flames during a bunnings trip last week with her daughter, bringing back traumatic memories of a previous car crash which “degloved” her arm.

Police were called to Mackay North Bunnings about 8.30pm on Thursday when Megan Rigby heard a loud pop as she was turning into the car park.

A Nissan Dualis burnt after it engulfed in flames outside of the Mackay North Bunnings entrance at 8.30pm on Thursday, May 29. Photo: Megan Rigby

A minute later, her Nissan Dualis was ablaze and the Mackay social worker was forced to “maneuver” her car off the road while her daughter, Shelby Diefenbach, tried to jump out of the burning car.

“It just blew … I said to my daughter ‘s--t, there’s a fire’,” she said.

“The smoke was billowing back into the car. It was very thick black smoke.

“It was unbelievable how quickly that car burnt.”

The mother of five is a disability support worker based in Mackay that has been a “pillar of strength” for clients such as Joanne Day, who opened a GoFundMe to help Ms Rigby buy a new second hand car.

“She’ll give you the thread off her back if that’s what you need,” she said.

“We either have to pay for an uber for her or pick her up in our car.”

Shelby Diefenbach and her mother Megan Rigby both narrowly escaped uninjured. Photo: Megan Rigby

Ms Day said Ms Rigby had been caring for her and her husband since she was diagnosed with fibromyalgia and rheumatoid arthritis two years ago following the death of her father.

“It’s quite a worry for us because of the unknown. In the back of my mind I’m also concerned for her,” she said.

“But now, the reality is that without a functioning vehicle, Megan’s ability to provide care - often to the most vulnerable - will be severely impacted.”

Ms Day set a target for $8000 “to help cover the cost of the vehicle” and connect the family “to resources that can lessen the burden”.

Having only bought the second hand car a month prior, Ms Rigby said one of her social work clients had smelt a petrol leak a week before the incident, though it is not yet clear what caused the blaze.

“I’m a mother of five with my own business, so I couldn’t afford to buy a new car at this point,” she said.

“Thank God I didn’t have all the kids in the car because that would have been hectic.

“It was just my daughter coming along for a burn with me, no pun intended.”

Despite the intense flames, Ms Rigby said no one was injured thanks to the help of random bystanders.

Remains of the burnt out car that engulfed at the North Mackay Bunnings entrance on Thursday night, May 29

A couple stopped their car to help retrieve Ms Rigby and her daughter from the burning vehicle while another man ran all the way from the Bunnings entry when he saw Ms Rigby rolling down the road with her car on fire.

“Everyone was bloody amazing,” she said.

The car was towed away in later that night.

“It really restored my faith in humanity too … when the push comes to shove Australians are amazing.”

It brings back trauma of a crash that left Ms Rigby with her arm “degloved” after she rolled her car over when she was 26 weeks pregnant with her first son.

“We don’t get along; me and cars,” she said.

“I think I need a horse drawn carriage. I’m pretty blessed most of the time.

“It’s just a car too, it could have been a lot worse.”