An Aussie who received more than $200,000 in community fundraising to have his wife medically evacuated from Thailand has turned his attention to the weekend’s fatal bus crash.
Paul Enwright and his wife Kylee have several ties to the wedding guests who were tragically killed and injured in Sunday’s crash in the Hunter Valley wine region.
Their son plays for the Singleton football club, with which the wedded couple are affiliated, and their daughter attended school with one of the victims.
Ms Enwright suffered traumatic head injuries when she tripped and fell earlier this month on a trip to Thailand.
The family said medical bills surpassed $50,000 and are on the rise by more than $5000 each day, with a flight home in her condition expected to cost upwards of $200,000.
But thanks to the generosity of many Australians, the family now have more than enough money to fly the Aussie mum home, hopefully over the coming weekend.
As an ultimate pay-it-forward gesture, Mr Enwright has now paid some of the surplus from these donations towards a GoFundMe set up by the Singleton Roosters football club to support the victims of the bus crash and their families.
“Singleton, Hunter and the wider Australian community have reached deep into their pockets (to support Kylee),” Mr Enwright wrote on the GoFundMe page.
“I felt it only fitting that I needed to contribute, to pass on the good that I have received onto you when you need it the most.
“My heart goes out to all involved and I truly hope that you can start to rebuild.”
Mr Enwright later told Sunrise that his wife’s condition was improving “every day”, with her “latest milestone” being the ability to lift and click some of her fingers.
“[We’re] really relieved to get out of Thailand and into the Australian medical system. It’s her best opportunity for her to improve and regain the person we know she is,” he said.
Inside horrific wedding bus crash
Mr Enwright’s humble gesture comes after 10 wedding guests died and a further 25 were hospitalised after the bus from their wedding venue rolled on Sunday evening.
Around 17 minutes into the drive, just after 11.30pm, the Linq Buslines 2009 Volvo B7R coach landed on its side at a roundabout at Wine Country Drive near the Hunter Expressway off-ramp.
The 57-seat coach was fitted with seatbelts.
Among those who lost their lives in the incident were Andrew and Lynan Scott, a husband and wife from Singleton; Zachary Bray from Byron Bay; Angus Craig from Queensland; Tori Cowburn and Rebecca Mullen from Singleton, and Nadene McBride, coach of the Singleton Roosterettes, as well as her daughter Kyah.
Kane Symons, who was born in Victoria but moved to Singleton, and Darcy Bulman from Melbourne also remain unaccounted for.
Among those injured were members of the Singleton Roosters football club, which just-married couple Mitchell Gaffney and Maddy Edsell attended as senior players.
Members of a local cricket club, along with their partners, were also among the injured.
Emergency services, including ambulance, NSW Fire and Rescue, NSW Rural Fire Service, police and Highway Patrol rushed to the site and were met with horrifying scenes.
Despite the foggy conditions, which may have contributed to the crash, emergency services responded quickly, with helicopters also landing nearby to provide medical assistance.
The driver of the bus – a 58-year-old man identified as local Brett Button – was taken to hospital under police guard for mandatory testing and assessment.
He was later transferred to Cessnock Police Station where he was charged with 10 counts of dangerous driving occasioning death – drive manner dangerous, and negligent driving (occasioning death).
The Maitland man appeared at Cessnock Local Court on Tuesday where he was granted strict conditional bail that will prohibit him from entering the driver seat of a car, subject him to a curfew and deny him contact with police witnesses.
Several patients still remain in hospital in both serious and stable conditions, with NSW Police urging anyone with information about the incident to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.