Isaac Craig: Townsville chef dies of injuries from 2024 traffic accident

A grieving mother who lost her husband a year after a serious Townsville traffic accident in Townsville is now in danger of losing her family home.

Former Townsville chef Isaac Craig on life-support after suffering a heart attack on May 31, 2024. He passed on Saturday, about 13 months after he was involved in a serious traffic accident on Farrell Road near his Heatley home. Picture: Supplied

A grieving mother who has just lost her husband a year after he was involved in a serious traffic accident in Townsville is now in danger of losing her family home.

The family confirmed on Wednesday that Isaac Craig, a former chef, had passed in tragic circumstances on Saturday from complications resulting from the accident in Heatley in March, 2024.

Stepson Callum Albert, 26, said the man who he considered to be his father was testing a new tyre on his daughter’s E-scooter when he was allegedly struck by a vehicle and critically injured.

Mr Albert, store manager at Hog’s Breath Café in Cannon Park, said the accident necessitated a pelvis reconstruction, had left his father bedridden, housebound and unable to use a wheelchair due to the pain.

“The nerve damage was just way too great, he was unable to take two steps, a step or even that … his physical condition (since the accident) stayed the same, his injuries were severe but they couldn’t get any worse than what they were.”

Former Townsville chef Isaac Craig with his grand-daughter after he was involved in a serious traffic accident on Farrell Road near his Heatley home. Picture: Supplied

He said that although the physical injuries were horrendous, it was his mental condition that began to noticeably decline as he realised that he was unlikely to recover due to what they saw as a lack of government support.

“It was his mentality, his view on life; the accident itself changed him as a person but over time the realisation that he wasn’t getting better, that he stuck in his bed all the time, he couldn’t even do the simplest things like have a shower without mum being there to completely help him … he couldn’t even use the toilet without her assistance.”

Mr Albert said mother Lisa Craig was a full-time carer but also worked as a cook and kitchen hand during the ordeal over the last year.

He said he believed that the lack of assistance for Mr Craig, including potential rehabilitation and renovations to make their home disabled friendly, had been a source of stress and contributed to his heart attack on May 31.

Lisa made the “heartbreaking decision” to turn off his life support to his vegetative state on Saturday.

Former Townsville chef Isaac Craig with his family. Picture: Supplied

Mr Albert said he had launched a GoFundMe fund-raiser to help his widowed mother, who was meeting the bank on Tuesday in a bid to keep the family home in Mill Drive.

He said every dollar donated would help.

“The last few days have been really rough but honestly, launching this campaign to help mum out and Rebecca, his daughter, has helped me grieve and receive some piece of mind that they will get some support financially after his death.”

Originally published as Isaac Craig: Townsville chef dies of injuries from 2024 traffic accident