Harrison ‘Harry’ Sproule: Dad’s heartbreaking letter to five-year-old son he accidentally killed

A father who accidentally hit and killed his son with his truck has delivered an emotional farewell to the five-year-old at his funeral in Sydney.

A Sydney father who accidentally hit and killed his young son while parking his truck has delivered an emotional eulogy at the five-year-old’s funeral.

Doug Sproule read out a heartbreaking letter to Harrison, better known as Harry, at a service yesterday, almost two weeks on from the horrific accident.

Mr Sproule was parking his 100-tonne truck in the yard of his family’s business in Picton, in Sydney’s west, on the evening of May 22, unaware that his son was standing behind it.

Harry was struck between two trailers. He was treated at the scene by paramedics and rushed to Liverpool Hospital but died from his injuries.

Mr Sproule spoke of how his little boy – the youngest of four – had earned the nickname ‘Road Train Harry’ thanks to his frequent trips around Australia with him.

“Your early years were filled with adventures around trucks and tractors and machines. It was obvious from a young age that you loved them. You could pick out a Kenworth at three-years-old,” he said.

Harry’s heartbroken father Doug remembered his little boy as adventure-loving and mischievous.

A devastated Doug Sproule spoke of his son's love of trucks and machines.

“You spent a lot of time in the yard as you would play and work with us, then go to sleep wherever you felt like. Sometimes it wasn’t in the best of spots and we had to look for you for a little while. We’d find him in a tyre out the back or curled up in a toolbox.”

Harry was beloved by customers, suppliers and employees of Mr Sproule’s business, he said, who would always have a chocolate or a soft drink “for the adventurous little boy in the truck”.

He went on long distance trips with his dad to Perth, Darwin, Melbourne, Adelaide Brisbane, as well as through northern Western Australia, north Queensland and country New South Wales.

“You spent six months in the green Western Star with me. This became your favourite colour – green.

“You became known as Road Train Harry because of your adventures. People all around Australia loved to see the little who would check the tyres and help his dad hook the trailers together and hook the straps on when we loaded.”

Harrison 'Harry' Sproule's casket was taken to the cemetery on a Kenworth truck.

An emotional Mr Sproule also spoke of the overwhelming support from the road transport community provided to him and his wife Megan in the aftermath of Harry’s death.

“You lived your life to the fullest, full of adventure, with your two brothers and big sister, who loved you dearly,” he said.

“Every time I will drive from now on, little H, every truck I see, I will see your light shining in the headlights at me.

“You will always be there with us. Your mum and dad will miss you. We will see you again. We know you’re heaven-bound right now.

“Keep truckin’, little man.”

Harry wanted to be a truck driver when he grew up – just like his dad.

Harry’s casket was taken from Camden Baptist Church to a nearby cemetery in a Kenworth truck.

In the days after his death, Harry’s family released an image to the media of the boy at preschool holding a sign revealing what he wanted to be when he grew up.

“A truck driver,” it said – just like his dad.