Shaun Michael Owen: Family behind mystery memorial found after desperate search
The mother of the young man who died at the site of a mystery roadside memorial has told the tragic story of the events leading to her son’s death.
Redlands Coast
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The family of the man for whom a mystery roadside memorial was created has been found, following a desperate search ahead of the memorial’s removal.
Jenny Hetherington lost her 24-year-old son Shaun Michael Owen 14 years ago in a car crash on Serpentine Creek Rd, Redland Bay, at the site of a beautiful but unregistered memorial.
At the time, family had been desperately trying to reach her to share the tragic news.
Last night, shortly after Redlands Community News shared the story that Redland City Deputy Mayor Julie Talty was searching for the family behind the memorial before roadworks started at the site, she was again flooded with family members trying to reach her.
“Last night was like 14 years ago... history repeated itself,” Mrs Hetherington said.
“I just fell apart.”
Shaun, from Capalaba, had been attempting to turn around on the notorious road on December 4, 2006 when the horror crash happened.
“While arguing with his passenger... did a U-turn on the crest of the hill to go home,” Mrs Hetherington said.
“So the moral of the story is don’t argue with a driver of a moving vehicle.”
Shaun had been on his way to Logan Hyperdome to have the remainder of a tattoo completed.
The artwork was in honour of his nephew Ashley who was less than two weeks form his third birthday when he drowned in a dam on a family property just weeks before Shaun’s fatal crash.
“2006 was the worst year of my life,” Mrs Hetherington said.
Shaun’s family had left a touching memorial at the site, complete with two crosses, a small part of his beloved car, a plaque, his photo and a pair of sunglasses.
The plaque read “Shaun Owen 22-11-82 to 4-12-06. You can now cruise forever, not a worry in the world”.
It was accompanied by a heartbreaking note left by his then four-year-old son Bailey who simply said “I miss you dad”.
Mrs Hetherington, who now lives in New South Wales, said the last time the site had been visited was in 2019. COVID-19 border closures had meant she had not been able to tend to it since.
Since then, plans for the widening of Serpentine Creek Rd had progressed and it meant the memorial needed to be relocated however the Department of Main Roads was having trouble finding anyone associated with it until Cr Talty issued the call-out for help.
Today, Shaun’s older brother and little Ashley’s father, David drove from Gympie to remove the memorial ahead of the roadworks.
Mrs Hetherington, who was “so grateful” to have been found, said it would be replaced and registered with the department once works were completed.
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