Identical twin killed in horror freeway smash
Grandmother and identical twin Elisa Kiesel is being remembered for her “heart of gold” after dying in front of her husband in a horrific freeway smash on the side of Peninsula Link.
VIC News
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A grandmother with a “heart of gold” was killed in front of her husband in a horror freeway smash.
Elisa Kiesel, 64, was tragically killed on Peninsula Link on Thursday night while calling for help to fix her car after it struck debris on the road.
Ms Kiesel – an identical twin – was ten minutes from her home in Safety Beach when her Hyundai collided with the canopy of a caravan about 9pm.
She and her husband, Ed, had just visited their son in Rowville and were in one of three cars that pulled into the left-hand emergency lane to dodge the dangerous debris on the freeway.
Tragedy struck when a fourth oncoming vehicle collided with one of the parked vehicles.
Ms Kiesel’s sister Loreta Tarquinio said the force of the collision “catapulted” her twin into the air and onto a stationary car.
She died at the scene.
Ms Tarquinio is struggling to come to terms with the reality she will never see her twin sister again.
“We did everything together,” she told the Sunday Herald Sun.
“She had a heart of gold.”
The horrific crash was witnessed by Ms Kiesel’s husband and three other motorists who were also transported to hospital for minor injuries.
They include a 43-year-old Elsternwick woman, a 45-year-old Rosebud man and 67-year-old Dromana woman.
Ms Tarquinio said her twin was on the phone to RACV while standing alongside the other motorists in the emergency lane when the collision occurred.
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Ms Kiesel had three sons, a granddaughter and grandson.
She was employed as an aged care worker in the Mornington Peninsula area and previously worked at the Balaclava Hotel in St Kilda.
No favour was ever too much for Ms Kiesel, who was known to take her colleague’s kids to school for them.
“Everyone gravitated toward her … even complete strangers,” said her sister.
“The reality is setting in that she is not coming home.
“I am going to miss her calling me all the time saying her computer isn’t working or she is having trouble with her email.”
The sisters spoke for the last time about 5pm on the day of the crash.
Ms Tarquinio said they spent their childhood wearing identical clothing and had a bond unlike any other.
Ms Kiesel was the 231st person to die on Victoria roads this year.
An investigation into the incident is underway.
Anyone with information or who witnessed the collision is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.