Cobden mum describes getting phone call to say her husband and kids had been in serious car crash

A Cobden mum has described the moments she thought she’d lost her entire family in a horror crash.

The Angus family has been rocked by a car crash that happened last Friday in Bostock's Creek, near Warrnambool.

A Cobden mum says she is the “luckiest woman alive” after her husband and two children survived a horrific car crash last Friday.

The Angus family was rocked after the crash which saw Paul and the couple’s children, Harrison, 10, and Lillian 7, taken to Melbourne with serious injuries.

The three members of the Angus family were on their way home from the Camperdown emergency department where the fourth member of their family, mum and wife Misty, had been taken after becoming unwell.

The crash happened early in the afternoon at Bostock’s Creek, in southwest Victoria, on the Cobden-Camperdown Rd.

Mrs Angus said she got a call while she was sitting in the ED from her husband to say they had been in a “horrific” crash.

“He called from the car to say they had been in a huge crash, he could see our babies and they were okay but he was trapped,” she said.

“His first instinct was to call me because that’s just the kind of dad he is.”

Mrs Angus said it took 45 minutes to free her husband from the car and emergency services had to cut the roof off.

She said her children were able to get out of the car and her best friend rushed to be with them after she called her from the hospital and told her to “get to her babies”.

“Harrison was just screaming ‘daddy please don’t die’,” she said.

“They thought their dad had died.”

Harrison and Lillian were taken to the Warrnambool hospital before being taken on a plane to Melbourne where they could receive further treatment at the Royal Children’s.

“It was Lillian’s first plane ride and it was without her mummy,” Mrs Angus said.

They are now resting and healing from lots of internal bruising.

Once Paul was freed he was flown in a helicopter to the Royal Melbourne Hospital where he has since undergone two lots of surgery.

“The nurses and all the medical staff have been amazing, I can’t thank them enough,” Mrs Angus said.

The family returned home on Thursday night so they are able to be surrounded by their community.

“Paul is a strong and determined man,” Mrs Angus said.

“We have just come home so we can be all together, the mental benefits are huge having that familiarity and the sleep.”

Mrs Angus said her family was now on the road to recovery.

Mr Angus will likely have to undergo rehab but not for several weeks while he heals from his physical injuries and surgeries.

Mrs Angus said healing from the crash mentally is going to be the families biggest challenge.

“Lillian is wearing ear muffs because she can’t deal with the loud noises,” she said.

“Their bruises will heal but that mental side will be a bit more longer term.”

The Corangamite Hockey Club, who Mrs Angus said is “like family”, have set up a fundraiser to help cover medical and ongoing costs while Mr Angus can’t work.

The Angus family has been rocked by a car crash that happened last Friday in Bostock's Creek, near Warrnambool.

The hockey club said Mr Angus was a coach of the Hookin2Kockey program and had “inspired many kids to take up hockey and become involved with the club”.

“His love of the sport is infectious and his open inclusive coaching enables all kids to participate and enjoy hockey regardless of ability or any other factor. He and Misty are always there when needed and put their hand up without hesitation to help wherever they can,” they wrote on the fundraiser page.

They also said Harrison and Lillian were valuable assets to the club.

“Harrison is dedicated to his sport and a proud advocate of the Corangamite Hockey Club. Harrison can be found running impromptu hockey clinics at his primary school and his proudest possession is his club jumper,” they wrote.

“Lillian has just started her hockey journey but has always been there to help her dad at Hookin2Hockey and had just started leaning into her first season when this happened.”

Mrs Angus is also an involved volunteer with progressing Cobden and can always be found in the group of organisers for any community event.

Progressing Cobden member Kelvin White said “Misty and the Angus family have been great volunteers for progressing Cobden and its committees’ activities over the years”.

“Specifically, Misty has worked with the Cobden Business Network and consultant Laura Hultgren, and the Pioneer Park, both committees of Progressing Cobden. She excels at organising appropriate stalls and activities and promoting events, especially using social media about which she has an excellent knowledge and understanding. Her family has always provided great support.”

Despite the ordeal the family has been through Mrs Angus said she is beyond thankful her family survived.

“My whole world was in that car,” she said.

When Mrs Angus told Mr Angus about the go fund me page Mr Angus said “so we give it all back to the community right?”

She also said she has been “blown away” by the support from her family, friends, neighbours, and wider community.

“I didn’t realise just how much they [Mr Angus and the kids] meant to everyone else,” she said.

“Everything that needed doing someone has done for me.”

“We never would have asked for the go fund me but it just takes that pressure off so we can focus on healing.”

“I feel like the luckiest woman alive. Thank you isn’t enough.”