Nunn family loses father and house in Boxing Day tragedy

A Queensland family has lost an adored father and husband on the same day their family home went up in smoke in a Boxing Day tragedy.

Tony Nunn passed away from bowel cancer on Boxing Day. Picture: Supplied

A Queensland family has lost an adored father and husband on the same day their family home went up in smoke in a Boxing Day tragedy.

Tony Nunn died on the morning of Boxing Day after a long battle with bowel cancer.

If that wasn’t traumatic enough for wife Bronwyn and their two children Bradley and Laura, their family home was destroyed in a fire later that night.

Miraculously they survived as they were staying with Ms Nunn’s mother.

Family friend Kerryanne Pederick told news.com.au the Nunn family were a “beautiful family” who were well known within the local community with Tony and Bronwyn both heavily involved.

The Nunn family. Picture: Supplied

“Both donated so much time with a local rescue charity” she said.

“Tony loved his kids and was a fishing fanatic. These beautiful people have given so much of themselves to the community.”

She said their two children Laura, 8, and Bradley, 10, are “coping the best they can”.

“They have many supporters to guide them through their grief,” she said.

“All the Nunn family including Tony’s siblings, in-laws and friends are pulling together with the fire.”

Bradley and Lauren Nunn. Picture: Supplied

Bronwyn Nunn with her son Bradley. Picture: Contributed

Ms Pederick said everyone is on “autopilot” at the moment but the “grieving will come later”.

“The family has just been through quite a lot in the last four years, knowing Tony had terminal colon cancer and it had spread to his liver and kidneys,” Ms Pederick said.

“And then at 11pm that night I got a phone call from police asking me to get in contact with Bronwyn because her house was burning down.

“I was in Mackay when they rang me and we drove straight home because I knew Bronwyn wouldn’t be in any state to be able to deal with anything like that.”

Ms Nunn had 10 personal and foster cats in her possession at the time of the fire.

The bodies of two cats have been located so far but Ms Pederick is hoping the others will be found alive.

A GoFundMe fundraiser has so far raised almost $16,000.

Ms Pederick said the community want to give the family “a little bit of light” and let them know people “are putting their arms around them and supporting them in the community”.

“The kids have lost everything,” she said.

“The little girl was given a violin for Christmas because she wanted to do violin at school.

“I have been in contact with the school and they are going to organise a new one for her.

“We don’t want the memory for those kids to be as sad as it is.”

Queensland police told news.com.au investigations were continuing into the cause of the fire.