Family grieves loss of ‘beautiful girl’ after crash kills L-plate driver and leaves father critical
FAMILY and friends are maintaining a bedside vigil for Garry Gillet as he remains in hospital after a horrifying crash on Friday that killed his teenage daughter Jodie as he taught her to drive.
NSW
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FAMILY and friends are maintaining a bedside vigil for Garry Gillet as he remains in hospital after a horrifying crash that killed his teenage daughter as he taught her to drive.
As the family mourns the 19-year-old Jodie’s death, Garry’s wife Heidi remains by his side in hospital while relatives continue to pray for Mr Gillett’s survival.
“Rip beautiful girl Jodie Gillett and please pray for Garry we need you to pull through for our family,” Sharmila Gillett wrote on Facebook following the crash.
Mr Gillett, 58, is in a critical condition in Royal North Shore Hospital, where he was flown in the wake of Friday’s horrific crash on Glenorie’s Old Northern Road.
Jodie died on impact, when the Suzuki Swift she was driving under his supervision was hit by a Ford Falcon. Both cars were forced from the road.
It’s understood that the car was hit as Jodie attempted to do a U-turn.
The teenage university student was also a keen member of Winston Hills Physical Culture Club, where she taught alongside her sister Hayley.
The NSW road toll is now 120 for the year so far — 17 more deaths than this time last year.
Family and friends paid tribute to the talented dancer who was almost ready to sit her Provisional driving licence test.
The accident happened just before 5pm on Old Northern Road at Glenorie, near Dural.
“She would never go over the speed limit,” Jodie’s grandmother Heather said on Saturday.
“She was just so conscientious. We don’t want to lay any blame.
“Jodie was kind, caring and a beautiful girl in every sense. This shouldn’t have happened.”
Police believe Jodie may have been attempting a U-turn when her car was T-boned by a Ford Falcon.
The Falcon’s driver, a 38-year-old man, was not seriously injured but transported to Westmead Hospital for mandatory blood tests.
David King, a resident of nearby Meriden Ave, rushed to help but said Jodie “died right in front of me”.
“I just tried to talk to her and tried to keep her going that way, but you couldn’t open the door — you couldn’t do anything,” he said.
“And when she died everybody was just there to give me a hug. I didn’t sleep very well at all.”
Another resident said her husband “left to go to the shops and they passed each other and waved … two minutes later it happened,” she said.
“He said her face is just imprinted in his mind.”
Ms Gillett graduated from Castle Hill High School in 2016 and made the HSC distinguished achievers’ list for attaining top marks in personal development, health and physical education.
Her death comes on the eve of Yellow Ribbon National Road Safety Week.
The Sydney Harbour Bridge will be illuminated in yellow from tonight to raise awareness about driving behaviour.
“Here in NSW, over 100 people have lost their lives on our roads (so far this year),” Roads Minister Melinda Pavey said.
“These aren’t just numbers, they are all real people with lives and families.”