‘We are all shattered’: Darwin dad Ian Gundersen remembered after tragic truck crash on Stuart Hwy

A Darwin father tragically killed in a truck rollover on the Stuart Hwy has been remembered by his wife as someone who’d “give you the shirt off his own back.”

Stuart Hwy crash victim Ian Gundersen with his partner Ashley. Picture: Supplied

A DARWIN father tragically killed in a truck rollover on the Stuart Hwy has been remembered by his wife as someone who’d “give you the shirt off his own back.”

Ian Gundersen, 30, was travelling north on the Stuart Hwy, about 30km south of Barrow Creek, when the single-trailer road train his was driving rolled shortly before 2pm on Friday.

The Beltech employee had been travelling from Pimba in SA to Mount Isa in QLD at the time.

Stuart Hwy crash victim Ian Gundersen with his partner Ashley and son Billy. Picture: Supplied

NT WorkSafe and police are still investigating the cause of the incident.

His wife Ashley Gundersen said their family and friends were still struggling to come to grips with his sudden passing.

“There are some humans that you come across that are a cut above the rest and you are one of them!” she said.

“We are all struggling to believe that this is real and a lot of us cannot figure out how we are going to get through this without you.

“Gundo was our saving grace, without realising it. His presence had the ability to lift anyone up.

“He was a sweet, sensitive, trustworthy beyond measure and worked harder than can be believed.

“His family was everything to him. He always had your back and stood up for what was right. “He was the first person to point out your strengths and would always be the first guy to take the shirt off his back for you.

Ian Gundersen with his partner Ashley and son Billy. Picture: Supplied

“Your soul was different from anyone else in the world and you cared so deeply.

“Every day with you around was a better day.

“You would be buggered if you ever met someone so polite.

“There are some things that you never get over and for a lot of us this is one of them.

“We all adore you and there will not be day where we do not think about you.

“This cuts so deeply and we are all shattered.

“We love you Gundo, so very much.”

Beltech Engineering also issued a statement on behalf of the company after the tragic crash.

“Gundo endeared himself to everyone who worked with him,” it said.

“He was, to us, a very special person, both professionally and personally.

“We’re heartbroken at his loss. He will be sadly missed by us, and by everyone who had the very real pleasure of working with him.”

Twelve people have lost their lives on NT roads so far this year, compared to 11 this time last year.