Burleigh bike fall fatal prompts pregnant sister’s heartfelt tribute

THE heavily pregnant, grieving sister of a Burleigh man who died in a bike mishap will farewell him with a special message from her unborn child.

Nathan Vogel’s heavily sister Sigrid Vogel - she plans to farewell him at his funeral tomorrow with a card from her unborn.Picture: Jerad Williams

THE heavily pregnant, grieving sister of a Burleigh man who died in a bike mishap will farewell him with a special message from her unborn.

Sigrid Vogel, expecting to give birth to her first child in two months time, is preparing for the funeral of her older brother Nathan Vogel tomorrow.

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The 36-year-old passed away in hospital last week days after falling off his bicycle while riding home in the early hours of last Sunday.

Family members of Nathan Vogel - step-mum Trina Oates, father David Vogel and Sigrid Vogel.Picture: Jerad Williams

In a touching tribute, Ms Vogel, 30, told the Bulletin she had prepared two cards with a special message from her unborn child to put into her brother’s coffin.

She has filled a blue one out in case she has a boy and a pink one for a baby girl.

Choking back tears, Ms Vogel said: “I don’t know what the sex is and wrote ‘I’m sad I’m coming into this world and not being able to meet you … love your niece, love your nephew’.

“I went to the doctor and said ‘Can you find out the sex and seal up the correct card and throw the other card out?’.”

Nathan Vogel’s father David Vogel and pregnant sister Sigrid Vogel.Picture: Jerad Williams

She now has the correct one to put into her brother’s coffin but it is sealed and not visible to her.

“He will be the first one to know the sex. It is sitting in a bag in my room,” she said this week.

Mr Vogel, who worked in construction for Dowells Building Services, suffered severe head injuries in the incident.

He was discovered by a passer-by about 1.45am last Sunday on Lower Gold Coast Highway at Burleigh.

Nathan Vogel of Burleigh who died last week after falling off his bicycle. he leaves behind three young sons and wife Ashleigh

Emergency services rushed him to Gold Coast University Hospital and he was resuscitated but he died from his injuries and his organs have been donated to five different recipients.

Nathan’s mother Tracey Vogel said she took comfort from the organ donations.

“Maybe that was his journey and destination. He was here to save those other people.

“His organs went to five other people after we said our final goodbyes.”

Nathan Vogel settles in for state of Origin with sons Travin, left, and Harley. Mr Vogel died in hospital after falling off his bicycle when riding home in Burleigh last weekend

An online fundraiser at www.chuffed.org/project/supporting-the-vogels has so far raised $8765 for his three young sons and wife Ashleigh.

The fundraiser, which Sigrid’s partner Michael Spencer helped set up, notes: “As Nathan was the primary income earner for his family and didn’t have life insurance, Ashleigh is left to support and care for the boys on her own.

“We would like to help the family out with some financial relief to assist Ashleigh with schooling, sports for the boys.”

In another touching tribute to the popular family man, a plant bought by his sisters and potted at his father David Vogel’s home has been dubbed Nathan.

The funeral is at 11am tomorrow at Allambe Gardens.