Family of Mackay teacher Slater Pearce, 22, pay heartfelt tribute

The parents of a popular Qld teacher, whose quiet acts of kindness rippled through his community, were able to say a final, heartbreaking goodbye — thanks to those who rallied behind their desperate dash to his hospital bedside.

Slater Pearce loved to ski and was often being pulled behind the beloved family boat Ricochet with his father Andrew at Marian Weir. Photos supplied by the Pearce family.

The heartbroken family of a beloved Mackay teacher have spoken about the “incredible” efforts taken to ensure they could be by his side in his final moments, as they pay a moving tribute to the 22 year old.

New details can also be revealed about the crash that claimed his life including that the restored car, which was a prized family possession, had been in perfect working order with the police report labelling the tragedy a “freak accident”.

Slater Pearce had a way of making people remember him, long after the conversation had ended.

Known for his ever present smile, upbeat energy and constantly saying “this is the best day ever”, he was the type of person who noticed the quiet ones in a room – and made sure they felt seen.

His acts of kindness were done in silence, as a second nature, but their impact on others was loud. Like buying thank you gifts for those he believed were often overlooked at his school or forming a beautiful bond with his elderly neighbour, who was in her 90s and who he often spent time with.

Slater Pearce loved going to Agnes Waters, one of his favourite spots, to chase waves and he was a passionate bodyboarder. This photo has become one of the family's favourite shots of Slater. Photos contributed by the Pearce family.

“We never knew he visited her,” father Andrew Pearce said.

“He did things without the fuss,” his mother Toni Pearce added.

In the two weeks since Slater was taken from their lives, Andrew and Toni, and his older brother Steele Pearce said they had been overwhelmed with an outpouring of stories that show the quiet but powerful way he touched the lives of those around him.

“Humble is the word,” Steele said.

Incredible effort after tragedy

Andrew and Toni had been at a funeral for her uncle in Ingham when they received the devastating news, Slater had been in a car crash and was in a bad way in Mackay Base Hospital.

Andrew said it was through an “incredible” effort they were able to return home and be by his bedside in his last moments.

“We got the news the car was written off … and he’s in a critical condition,” Andrew said.

Andrew’s brother then met them on the Bruce Highway and took over driving, straight to Townsville Airport where staff leapt to their aid swiftly helping through security and to a gate for the first flight to Mackay, where a fireman who had been on his way back to Mount Isa came to sit with them.

A beautiful and colourful tribute for Slater Pearce near the site where he was involved in a car crash that tragically claimed his life. Photos supplied by the Pearce family.

“He could see we were in trouble, and he came over and sat with us … to assure us that everyone was doing everything they could,” Andrew said.

Flight crew ensured they were seated together at the front of the plane, and a hostess sat with them the whole way offering comfort.

Friends in Mackay were already in the pick up area where airport security had allowed them to remain, waiting.

At the hospital, staff moved fast to get the couple to Slater’s room.

“They tapped every door and just got us to that bedside,” Andrew said, praising everyone’s efforts.

The doctor who treated Slater told the couple his injuries meant he wouldn’t have felt anything.

“He didn’t suffer,” Toni said.

They all hold on to and draw some solace in that knowledge.

“The hospital wrapped their arms around us and sat with us,” Andrew said.

“We were so cared for … we were just showered with love (at the hospital), which just blew out into the community.”

‘The car was in perfect mechanical condition’

The car Slater had been driving when it crashed on Archibald St on April 7 was a 1971 XY Falcon, bought by an 18-year-old Andrew in 1984. He kept it for 40 years before handing it over to Slater.

Slater Pearce with his girlfriend Emily Bella standing in front of his car, which was a beloved family possession handed down from father to son. Photos supplied by the Pearce family.

Andrew said the car was first restored by his father Keith Pearce and over the years had turned into a family project for his dad, himself and his two sons.

Even members of the community pitched in to help on the eye-catching car, which had been used countless times over the years for school formals and weddings.

“Slater took the car over two years ago, as his own,” Andrew said, adding his son proudly kept up the tradition of driving students to their formals.

Andrew said Slater was a diligent driver who loved the car and took a lot of pride in its upkeep and maintenance, adding it was not in his son’s nature to try and show off while behind the wheel.

“The police report came back to say the car was in perfect mechanical condition when (the crash occurred),” Andrew said.

Investigations into the tragedy found Slater had simply “miscalculated” on the day, Steele said, revealing the report indicating there were no marks on the road suggesting high speed or hooning.

“It’s like the back end had just let go on him,” Steele said, adding the report had labelled the crash a “freak accident”.

“To crash where he crashed,” Steele said, with Andrew adding, “And to actually have his life taken … in perfect health, at the happiest time of his life.”

Slater Pearce loved driving his car and kept up the family tradition of driving students to their school formal. Photos supplied by the Pearce family.

Investigating officer Senior Constable Mark Siddall said Slater’s momentary lapse and loss of control behind the wheel just happened to coincide with the location and the results were catastrophic.

“It’s just all gone wrong and there was nothing he could do about it,” Senior Constable Siddall said.

“It just shows how unpredictable things can occur and how it can happen to anyone.”

The Forensic Crash Unit officer confirmed his investigations revealed it was not a high speed incident and the resultant damage to the vehicle was because of the build design of older classic cars.

He said they were not designed to come to a sudden stop against an immovable object, unlike more modern vehicles that were built with a crush zone.

Slater travelled 60m from the roundabout’s exit to where the crash occurred and Senior Constable Siddall said a witness had been travelling behind the vehicle and reported it as driving normally.

For the family, these revelations were bittersweet. There was some comfort in knowing no one was at fault, but also heartbreak in the realisation that perhaps nothing could have been done to prevent it.

There was no generation gap between father and sons in the Pearce family with Andrew, Steele and Slater regularly spending time or going out together. Photos supplied by the Pearce family.

‘He chased the waves’

Ten years separate Slater and Steele, who said he loved that as they got older the age gap closed and their relationship evolved.

“I used to pick him up from school, take him to school,” Steele said.

As Slater got older Steele was not only the brother he once idolised, but his mate who he regularly spent time with.

Both avid surfers, the pair were often at North Wall chasing swells whenever the weather picked up.

As Cyclone Alfred was bearing down on the Queensland coast, Slater was preparing for a trip to Agnes Waters to surf the bigger waves.

“He rings me the day before he left, 5pm in the afternoon, and said ‘Steelo are you going to come down to Agnes Waters and come surfing with me,” Steele said.

“He said, I want to go and surf this cyclone swell.

“He chased the waves down the coast.”

Slater chased the waves as Cyclone Alfred was heading towards the Queensland coast. Photos contributed by the Pearce family.

Andrew said Slater was so excited for this trip.

“He watched the system come through and he tracked it and then he chased it, so he could be one of those ones out there,” Andrew said.

He loved being out on the water, be it surfing, body boarding or skiing behind the family boat Ricochet, a regular with the Marian Weir Ski Club.

Slater was generous with his time, from helping his family with their charity work to helping a mate or student in need.

Two days before he died, Slater was loading up rubbish at a church-run op shop in Walkerston for a dump run.

“The things he did to make sure you were OK, all the little extras,” Andrew said.

“And now that he’s gone, it’s really hard … we had this kid who was incredible.”

Slater with his girlfriend Emily. Photos supplied by the Pearce family.

Slater had just become a graduate teacher at Mercy College, his old school, as of January 2025 taking on wood work, metal work and HPE classes.

It was here he met and later fell for girlfriend Emily Bella, a women’s rugby league up-and-comer who had also been a teaching assistant at the school.

As a teacher Slater was passionate, full of energy and cared about all the kids, Emily said.

“He’d go out of his way … for all the kids and the teachers,” she said, adding he always did small things behind the scene to make people smile.

“He’d never take recognition for any of it.”

‘Heart breaks for all his students’

Some of his students even wrote to Slater’s parents, sharing the impact their son made on their lives – he was caring, compassionate and took the time to get to know his pupils, always making them feel valued and important.

Toni said those cards meant so much to her.

Flowers laid by loved ones at the sight of the crash that killed 22-year-old Slater Pearce on April 7, 2025.

Toni said she had even collected the beautiful notes left at a memorial near the crash site.

“I didn’t want them to be damaged in the weather,” she said. She cherished the kind words about her son.

“Slater’s always had a passion for the kids that are struggling, that needed more help,” Toni said.

“I know our hearts are broken, but my heart breaks for all his students.”

“They’re the ones who have missed out in the future, because he would have made a difference,” Andrew added.

“He already had made a difference,” Steele said.

Slater Pearce was adored by this nephew Leo and niece Shelby. He is pictured his in a lovely family photo also with his brother Steele and sister in law Megan Pearce. Photos supplied by the Pearce family.

And he was a dedicated uncle to his little nephew and niece, Leo and Shelby.

Sister-in-law Megan Pearce first met “Slate” when he was about 12 or 13, describing him as this “beautiful, cheeky” little boy, who always wanted sleepovers at the home she shared with Steele.

“Over the years he just blossomed,” she said.

“He was just the life of the party.

“His relationship with his niece and nephew was incredible and they adored him.”

The Saturday before the crash the Pearce family had enjoyed a night out with all their friends – a memory they all now cherish.

Andrew, Megan, Steele, Toni and Slater Pearce enjoying a beer for his 18th birthday. Photos contributed by the Pearce family.

Andrew said the following morning Slater had spent time with him and Toni before they had to leave for Ingham.

“He just wanted to be around us for a while,” Andrew said.

“In the kitchen before we left he hugged both of us and said, ‘oh I love yous (sic) and have a nice time, I’ll see you when you get back’.

“He was like getting cuddled by a bear.”

Steele smiled thinking about Slater’s favourite phrase, “this is the best day ever”.

It was written under the house, on a poster that hung in his room for years – Steele said Slater lived by those words and instilled that positivity in others, especially when they were having a bad day.

Mackay photos. Father and brother Andrew and Steele Pearce gave an emotional tribute to Slater during a memorial at St Patrick's Hall. They are pictured smiling as they reminisced about one of their many funny and treasured moments they shared with Slater. Photos contributed by the Pearce family.

‘So much more to give’

Slater was farewelled at a private family service on April 17 followed by a moving memorial at St Patrick’s Hall, which was filled with family and friends dressed in bright colours to honour his memory.

And as supporters offered their condolences, Steele said one thing he heard over and over was that Slater never said a bad word about anybody.

A huge crowd dressed in bright coloured gathered at St Patrick's Hall for a memorial service for Slater Pearce. Photos contributed by the Pearce family.

The community has rallied around the family organising food, house cleaning, lawn mowing – Slater’s friends even started a GoFundMe to help with funeral costs. Toni said she hoped to be able to use anything leftover to put toward a bursary in Slater’s name.

Something that brings the family comfort was knowing Slater had been happy in life. He had a long term plan – to move to Agnes Waters, one of his favourite spots, and work as a teacher and chase the waves.
He has also written and ticked all the items off a bucket list that included pass year 10 and 12, pass university, be a good surfer, become a teacher, and be a good son.

“He had ticked every one. For me that’s really comforting,” Andrew said. “He didn’t want for anything more than what he had when he passed away.”

Still, Toni said he could have written 10 more lists and achieved them all – that’s just who Slater was: driven, passionate and full of potential. “He had so much more to give,” she said.

Originally published as Family of Mackay teacher Slater Pearce, 22, pay heartfelt tribute