Country football club mourns for family as teen dies, brother critical in horror road crash

A football club and a Gippsland community are united in grief after a teenage boy died and his older brother was critically injured in a horror road smash as they drove to a footy game.

The truck and ute collided after the ute slid across the median strip into the truck's path, police say. Picture: Sophie Welsh

A local footballing community has rallied around the family of two brothers involved in a fatal accident near Wonthaggi on Saturday.

Campbell Ion died when the ute his brother Lucas, 18, was driving lost control and veered into the path of an oncoming truck over the weekend, killing the 16-year-old and Lucas critically injured.

The brothers’ Wonthaggi football club promised to come together and support the friends and family of the pair who were on their way to match against local rivals Koo Wee Rup on Saturday afternoon.

Friend Daniel Beyer started a Go Fund Me page to support the grieving family, which has raised over $16,000 in just four hours.

Mr Beyer described the horror crash as “tragic and heart breaking” and said the family will be faced with some “big challenges” in coming months.

“If we can raise some money for them, then that’s one less thing they have to worry about. Please donate and help this wonderful family in there tough time,” the post said.

The page, which had originally set a goal of $15,000, was inundated with donations and messages of support.

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Yesterday, devastated friends arrived at the scene of the accident in Anderson on Sunday afternoon to lay flowers and leave letters of tribute.

One note read “rest easy Campbell” while pleasing with his older brother to “keep fighting”.

“Stay strong Lucas,

“Forever and always in our hearts, we all love you,” the note read.

People gathered at the site of yesterday’s crash in Anderson, which claimed the life of Campbell Ion, 16 and left his brother Lucas, 18 in hospital. Picture: Sarah Matray

The truck and ute collided after the ute slid across the median strip into the truck's path, police say. Picture: Sophie Welsh

Groups of men, women and children hugged, cried and reflected at the roadside for about an hour.

A box of notes, a large block of chocolate and bunches of sunflowers and honeysuckles were placed just metres from shattered glass and shards of broken headlights.

The Australian flag was lowered to half-mast at the Dalyston football field this afternoon as news of the teens’s death spread throughout the close knit community.

In a statement published online, the club said a dark cloud had settled over them as they tried to come to terms with the tragedy.

“Our hearts are bleeding for the extended families of the boys and we will give our love and support to them in this tragic time,”

“In tragic times like this we need to get around one another and help everyone through and there is no better place than the football netball community to help.

“Our club will shed tears and bleed but in time we will gather strength from all this,” the statement read.

Flowers have been laid at the scene of the crash. Picture: Sarah Matray

A tribute to brothers Campbell and Lucas Ion. Picture: Sarah Matray

Online tributes flowed for the Ion family.

“Our hearts are wrenched at your loss dear Ion family, many many prayers over you,” one post read.

“Deepest sympathy to all at Dalyston; you may leave the district … but never the people in it,” another read.

Police say Lucas lost control of his Ford Falcon ute on a roundabout, slid across a median strip into the path of an oncoming truck.

The truck driver suffered minor injuries.

An investigation into the cause of the crash continues, with locals taking to social media to complain about the safety of the roundabout.

In northern Victoria, family and friends of another teenager are grieving following a deadly motorcycle collision at Shepparton East early Saturday morning.

Jake Weidenbach, 19, is being remembered as a “free spirit” and “one of a kind”.

Heartbroken family and friends have taken to social media to share their memories of the teenager who was “so loved” by many.

Jake Weidenbach is being remembered as a free spirit. Picture: Facebook

The motorcycle belonging to Jake Weidenbach. Picture: Facebook

The 19-year-old died at the scene following the collision about 12.30am Saturday, and his friend. riding another motorbike, was flown to a Melbourne hospital with serious injuries.

Jake’s brother, Beau Simmons, wrote on Facebook that his brother “died doing what he loved”, and that he had “made such an impact on everyone’s life”.

“I pray heaven is real, because despite all your many faults, you had a huge heart in there and heaven is where you belong now,” Beau wrote.

“I am so glad I got to tell you before you passed, that I am so proud of you.”

His sister Amy wrote on Facebook: “19 years with you was nowhere near enough.

”You are so loved. Forever young.”

Friend Courtney McClelland wrote on Facebook: “Jake was a beautiful boy and will be terribly missed, he was so loved and will continue to be loved.”

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