Sunshine Coast fatalities 2023: Remembering those we lost
A heartbreaking number of people have died on the Sunshine Coast this year. Here we remember those whose lives were tragically taken far too soon.
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There has been a staggering amount of heartbreaking fatalities on the Sunshine Coast this year as locals have suffered devastating deaths.
Here we remember some of the most tragic.
Lucinda McGrath
Brisbane woman Lucinda McGrath, 27, died near Bulcock Beach, Caloundra on Sunday, January 22, 2023, after members of the public spotted her unresponsive in the water and pulled her ashore.
A Surf Life Saving Queensland spokeswoman said lifesavers and paramedics tried to revive her but she sadly died at the scene.
The Zillmere woman’s mother, Lynelle McGrath, said she was in “absolute shock”.
Ms McGrath said her free-spirited daughter who “loved the beach” was in the coastal town with a work colleague to celebrate her 28th birthday.
Jye Mattern
A 21-year-old former lifeguard from Brisbane, Jye Mattern, was swept away at Teewah Beach earlier this year and never found.
The young man failed to return to shore about 5pm on Saturday, January 21 after being caught in a rip and swept out to sea. One of the men he was with made it back to shore.
This triggered a large-scale search including helicopters and jet skis over five days.
His brother Zac said it was meant to be a fun camping trip. He said he, Jye and three friends were “super excited” to escape the city.
Noosa Triathlon athlete
A 53-year-old man died during the swim leg of the 40th anniversary Noosa Triathlon on Sunday, November 5, 2023.
The man from Beaumaris, Victoria, was pulled from the water about 7.50am at Main Beach, Noosa Heads after he was found unresponsive by fellow athletes.
The incident happened towards the end of the swim leg and fellow competitors tried desperately to save the man’s life but he was declared dead at the scene.
CPR was started on the man and paramedics were on the scene but the man was unable to be revived.
Breanna Foley
Currimundi woman Breanna Foley, 28, tragically died on Saturday, March 25, 2023, after she fell 40m from Mt Beerwah in the Glass House Mountains while hiking.
It was later revealed Ms Foley, who was a recreational mountain climber, had played a key role in helping save a seriously injured parachutist – including providing first aid – only hours before her own death.
Her family told the Sunshine Coast Daily in a statement on March 30 they were incredibly proud and unsurprised by her heroics that day.
Ms Foley was raised in Brisbane but moved to the Sunshine Coast two years ago where she worked as an occupational therapist.
She loved adventures, from running trail and park runs to competing in road and dirt triathlons.
39-year-old Ipswich man
Brisbane residents Jillian and Ian Gentle, who were holidaying on the Sunshine Coast, made the triple-0 call to emergency services after a 39-year-old Ipswich man started to struggle in the water on February 13.
A Queensland Police spokeswoman said the man was swimming in a group of three at Kings Beach and was pulled from the water, along with the rest of the group, in the large swell about 6.15pm. The beach was unpatrolled at that time.
A police spokeswoman said police and bystanders started CPR on the man and paramedics continued the effort to save him.
Although they worked on him for some time, he died at the scene.
Jasmyne Lloyd and Joy Charlton
A 20-year-old Little Mountain woman and her passenger were killed when a tree fell on their car at the Glass House Mountains on New Year’s Eve, 2022.
Jasmyne Lloyd and passenger Joy Charlton, 80, were killed when a tree fell on their car while they were travelling south along Old Gympie Rd, Glass House Mountains at 12.20pm on Saturday, December 31.
The car, a Volkswagen, is understood to have lost control and came to a stop in bushland after the tree fell.
A Queensland Police Service spokesman said the tree had been in poor condition, potentially rotting.
He described the incident as “incredibly rare” and that the people involved had been in the “wrong place, at the wrong time”.
“It’s incredibly unfortunate. The tree collapsed as they had been driving by,” the officer said.
Mrs Charlton was remembered as a woman who “was up for anything” and “was Joy by name and joy by nature”.
Ms Lloyd’s husband said there were “no words” to describe his heartbreak. The couple had been married for three months and 29 days.
Chris ‘Christo’ Heavener
Tributes flowed for a beloved grandfather, surfer and board repairer after a heartfelt send off at a popular Sunshine Coast beach.
Currimundi grandfather Chris “Christo” Heavener died on October 15 after he was diagnosed with cancer in his gallbladder, liver and bones in August. He was 77.
He is survived by his wife of 54 years, Dale, their two daughters and five-year-old granddaughter.
Mrs Heavener said her husband was originally given six months to live. They would have celebrated their 55th wedding anniversary in January 2024.
She described her late husband as an “easygoing” man who adored their granddaughter.
Mr Heavener worked as a licensed customs agent and later joined Qantas at Brisbane Airport, but had a passion for surfing.
60-year-old Perigian Springs woman
Two witnesses noticed a woman walking alone along north Peregian Beach on March 1, 2023.
Coolum Beach Senior Sergeant Hardy Wirth said about 20 minutes later the two witnesses noticed a pair of thongs and then spotted a 60-year-old Peregian Springs woman floating in the water.
“They grabbed her out and started CPR,” he said.
He said emergency services were called to the scene and police and paramedics continued attempts to resuscitate the woman.
The woman’s death was ruled non-suspicious by police.
Taj Henderson
Warana man Taj Henderson’s body was found after he disappeared from a campsite north of Noosa on Saturday, May 27.
After the alarm was raised, a police and SES search was issued. A member of the public found the 21-year-old’s body near the Freshwater Rd 4WD track about 2pm on Sunday, May 28, 2023.
Police said Mr Henderson’s death was treated as the result of a misadventure. There are no suspicious circumstances.
He was described by one family member at his funeral as an “outstanding young man, a great friend … the most loved younger brother and an adored son” whose life was taken far too soon.
44-year-old Paddington man
Queensland Ambulance was called to reports a man had been found floating in the water just before noon at Cotton Tree Beach, Maroochydore on Saturday, October 28.
The 44-year-old man, from Paddington, was pulled unresponsive from the water.
Paramedics and members of the public began giving the man CPR and then police officers also helped when they arrived.
Despite their efforts, the man died at the scene about 12.30pm.
It is understood the man was seen swimming alone before the incident.
Angelina Nichol
Long-time Coolum Beach resident Angelina Nichol, better known as Angie, helped found the Coolum Beach Christian College with her husband Steve Nichol in 2004, with a church opening in 2008 at the school one of their legacy projects.
Mrs Nichol was given a shock diagnosis of lung cancer that had spread to her brain on June 21, 2023.
She died on Friday, July 21, aged 63.
Mrs Nichol was instrumental in creating not only the school but also the Coolum Christian International College.
The couple also organised Coolum Beach’s legendary Christmas in the Park events, a Christian surfing group and Coolum Bizfest before they moved to the Philippines in 2012 during their long-service leave.
Simone Boulton
As her husband Adam Boulton held her hand, Simone Boulton died on the evening of May 17, after a six-year cancer battle.
She was surrounded by many family and friends in the lead-up to her passing.
Mrs Boulton’s family moved to the Sunshine Coast when she was young and she graduated from Immanuel Lutheran College in 1994.
She worked with her dad, Ian “Buschie” Busch, at his business, Maroochydore News, at the Big Top Shopping Centre for many years and was also a flight attendant for about a decade.
In 2017, aged 40, Mrs Boulton was diagnosed with a tumour in her adrenal gland that had spread to organs including her kidney and liver.
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