Memorial honours Hunter bus crash victims; paddle out for Zach Bray

Almost everyone in Singleton has a connection to at least one of the 10 lives lost in last week’s horror bus crash. Locals are paying tribute at a memorial, and intimate farewell events are being held in backyards and sports clubs.

Locals are adjusting to a new sense of normal following the bus tragedy in Singleton.

Waves hello and “Good mornings” on the main street have been replaced with hugs of condolence and sincere questions like “How are you coping?” and “Are you OK?”.

Almost everyone has a connection to at least one of the 10 lives lost, whether it be through the Singleton Roosters AFL club, the local hospital or friendships since childhood.

Five days after the tragedy, some have only just worked up the strength to visit the crash scene in Greta.

Traffic controls remain in place. The mangled bus wreck has been removed and a shrine full of flowers, trinkets and handwritten notes are now in its place.

Kyah McBride (left) and her mum Nadene McBride both died in the horrific crash.

Several members of the extended McBride family visited the roadside memorial on Friday, where they held each other and cried as they remembered Nadene McBride and her daughter Kyah.

“ (Kyah and Nadene) were both just lovely people. Good, salt-of-the-earth type people,” their friend Dave Robinson said. “The poor husband. He’s now got no wife, no daughter. How do you wake up to that?”

Junior doctor Bec Mullen.

Young parents Andrew and Lynan Scott.

With funerals still weeks away, the memorial has become a place of remembrance and support.

Sunflowers left for Kyah and Nadene, a teddy bear for junior doctor Bec Mullen, a Sherrin football for young parents Andrew and Lynan Scott are just some of the hundreds of tributes.

Lachlan Foote, a member of the Singleton Roosters for more than a decade, visited the memorial on Friday. He lost close friend Bec Mullen.

He had to work up the courage to drive from his home near Newcastle, unable to get out of bed the day after he started receiving late night messages about the crash.

He knew most of those who died, but was closest to Bec and her fiance Sam Howard.

Bec was just one month away from marrying Sam, who remains in hospital.

A man lays a bunch of flowers and a football at the memorial site. Picture: David Swift

A footy with messages of love and loss. Picture: David Swift

As families process the pain, intimate events are being held in backyards and sports clubs to celebrate the lives of those who died too soon.

The family of Zach Bray, 29, has organised a paddle-out at North Curl Curl Beach on Saturday to honour his life (see below).

Local AFL and rugby league club refs and players across NSW will wear black armbands and participate in a minute’s silence before games.

ZACH BRAY HONOURED WITH CURL CURL PADDLE OUT

The family of a keen young surfer who died in the horror Hunter bus crash is hosting a memorial paddle out in his honour, as ongoing investigations into the crash are prolonging funerals for 10 shattered families.

Zach Bray, 29, from Byron Bay, was among the 10 people who died in the devastating crash that left another 21 hospitalised on Sunday night.

Mr Bray had battled and beaten bowel cancer, after he was diagnosed at age 25.

With investigations into the horror crash expected to take several weeks, funeral services have been delayed for those involved.

Mr Bray’s family has organised a paddle-out at North Curl Curl Beach on Saturday to honour his life ahead of a funeral.

Zach Bray.

Zach spent much of his youth surfing.

“Thank you for all your support and well wishes, it means a lot to us as a family, and shows how much of an impact Zach had on each and everyone of us,” his sister Montana said in an online tribute.

“Because this tragic event has become an extensive criminal investigation by law enforcement, we are not able to confirm a funeral date, so in the interim we’ve decided to get together and celebrate his life with a paddle out ceremony.”

Zach loved flying.

During his cancer battle.

“North Curl Curl was a special place for Mr Bray, who grew up in the area and spent his time surfing with mates.”

Lachlan Foote, a member of the Singleton Roosters for more than a decade, visited the memorial at the scene of the crash on Friday after losing close friend Bec Mullen.

Ms Mullen was a junior doctor and Singleton local, who was working at Calvary Mater Newcastle hospital.

She was tragically one month away from marrying the love of her life Sam Howard, who survived the crash but remains in hospital.

“I spoke to Sam and physically he is doing okay,” Mr Foote said.

“He’s trying to hang in there.

“It’s been really hard on every one.”

Local AFL and rugby league clubs across the state are also set to pay their respects to the 10 lives lost in the crash, with players and referees wearing black arm bands and participating in a minutes silence before their games.

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