NSW road toll deaths climb, while families left feeling ‘hollow’

For Tracy Blake, her daughter’s untouched bedroom is a constant reminder of all the things she never got to do. The Blake family isn’t the only one that has been destroyed by road deaths.

Every morning, Tracy Blake stops by her daughter Mackenzie’s bedroom and opens the door, but walking in is too difficult.

Mackenzie’s bed is covered in stuffed animals, her clothes still in her wardrobe, and pictures still arranged the way she liked them on her bedside table.

It looks exactly the same as it did the day she was tragically killed by a drugged driver in 2021.

Only now, an unopened brown evidence bag of her belongings found at the crash scene sits inside it.

“Her door makes a very particular sound when it opens,” she said. “When I used to hear that sound I felt contentment, knowing she was home safe. Now it’s a reminder she will never be home again.”

Tracy Blake’s 21-year-old daughter Mackenzie was killed by a disqualified driver in 2021. Picture: Rohan Kelly

Parents such as Tracy are the faces behind NSW’s horrific road toll, faced with waking up everyday knowing their child didn’t get to get married, start their dream job or a family.

“I look at what the world was robbed of when we lost Mackenzie,” she said.

“She would have made such a positive contribution to this world because she was always worried about caring for others, helping others.”

Mackenzie Blake, who was killed by a drugged driver in 2021.

She was 21 at the time.

On November 1, 2021, Mustafa Ghamrawi veered off the road and mounted the footpath in an Isuzu truck, hitting Mackenzie as she walked along a Blaxland footpath.

Ghamrawi was disqualified until 2027, under the influence of methamphetamine and GHB and had never held a truck licence.

He was sentenced to nine years jail over Mackenzie’s death last year but Ms Blake said it would never be enough.

Tracy Blake says the nine year jail sentence the driver who killed Mackenzie got will never be enough. Picture: Rohan Kelly

Every part of her life has been impacted — even the happiest days, including her first grandchild’s first birthday, are “hollow”.

“As happy as it is, I feel her loss,” she said. “There’s a huge missing piece.”

She struggles to sleep, worried about nightmares of Mackenzie’s death returning, she is unable to drive long distances, can’t listen to music or even watch television.

“Saturday night was movie night for Mackenzie and I,” she said.

“I can’t bring myself to do that anymore because it was how we spent our last day together.”

As the road toll soars to 212 this year — 15 more deaths than in the same period last year — Tracy wants people to know the devastating consequences that trying to get home a little quicker or having an extra beer before driving home can bring.

“Everyone in our family is broken,” she said. “I didn’t just lose her that day, I lost my best friend, my daughter, and so many parts of myself.

“We need to do better, if you see someone speeding, report them, if your friend tries to drive drunk, take their keys. You could save a life.”

Tracy Blake has kept Mackenzie’s room at their Winmalee home the same. Picture: Rohan Kelly

In the month of July, 18 lives were lost on NSW roads, in the first nine days of August, five lives were lost – including a 13-year-old boy and a father-of-eight children.

Doting dad Jason Kildey died in a collision in the Hunter on August 2, leaving behind eight shattered children.

“He was well loved by all who knew him and was a friend to everyone, he lived life to the fullest and always enjoyed the good times, he will be greatly missed and forever loved and remembered by his children and all who knew him,” his family told the Telegraph.

Thirteen-year-old Korbin Reid also lost his life in the Blue Mountains on August 2, when he was hit by a car as he crossed the road with his older brother Zack.

Zack held his younger brother as he died, and this week told media he couldn’t get the moment out of his head.

“Within a couple of seconds of me yelling out his name, he started flickering his eyes and there was some very shallow breathing. He was shivering all over,” he said.

Tracy said that every life lost, including Korbin’s, brought memories of Mackenzie’s tragic death back to the surface.

“Their families will be changed forever, just like ours,” Tracy said.

“How many lives, how many broken families will it take until we see change.”

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Originally published as NSW road toll deaths climb, while families left feeling ‘hollow’