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A grieving grandmother has died of a broken heart just days after writing a moving final funeral farewell to her daughter while fighting for her own life in intensive care.
Holli Ann Deacon, 39, was killed instantly when her Toyota Camry was caught in a horror three-car smash with an Audi and a VW near Narooma on the NSW south coast.
Her two sons, Marcus, 18, and Eric, 15, were airlifted to hospital after the crash on December 30, 2022, where Eric remains with a shattered pelvis and broken femur.
The single mum’s funeral was delayed for weeks to allow her sons to recover enough to attend – but the tragedy proved too much for their chronically-ill grandmother.Â
Ms Deacon had been the full-time carer for her emphysema-suffering mother Kathy McElhinney, 58, who was overcome by the traumatic stress of the deadly smash and rushed into intensive care.
Grieving grandmother Kathy McElhinney (front left) has died of a broken heart just days after delivering the final funeral farewell to her daughter Holli Ann Deacon (front right) who was killed in a fatal crash car which also left her sons Marcus and Eric (behind) seriously injured
Holli Ann Deacon, 39, (pictured) was killed instantly when her Toyota Camry was in a horror three-car smash with an Audi and a VW near Narooma on the NSW south coast
Kathy McElhinney (pictured in her wheelchair at the funeral with Marcus) clung to life just long enough to write a touching eulogy for her daughter and plan the fine details of the funeral
Ms McElhinney clung onto life just long enough to write a touching eulogy for her daughter and plan the fine details of the funeral.
But on Thursday, 13 days after she delivered the moving final farewell, Ms McElhinney lost her battle for life when the stress proved too much for her heart.
‘She was determined to get well so that she could make it to the funeral,’ niece Amy Bremner, 35, told Daily Mail Australia.
‘From her hospital bed, she wrote Holli’s eulogy and decided on what dress her daughter would wear for her send-off – heart wrenching things that no mother should have to do.
‘Kathy was discharged just days before the funeral was to take place.
‘But the pain of losing Holli was too much for her heart to bear and sadly Kathy passed away on February 16, just 13 days after seeing her daughter laid to rest.
‘The anxiety and stress created a downfall to her existing emphysema.’Â
The family had been on their first holiday together in years and were returning home from Narooma to Mount Druitt in Sydney’s west when the tragic smash happened.
The 40-year-old driver of the Audi Q3 suffered serious injuries in the crash and was later charged by police at his hospital bedside. His female passenger, 31, was also rushed to hospital in a stable condition.
The five passengers in the Volkswagen station wagon escaped injury.Â
‘It was a long awaited trip to a place they travelled yearly until interrupted by Covid, and was the first holiday in years for Holli’s mum, Kathy,’ said Amy.
‘Eric remains in hospital, recovering from a broken femur and shattered pelvis. Marcus suffered a C5 neck injury, broken ribs and sternum and broken arm.
‘Thankfully he has since been discharged and between physiotherapy and rehabilitation, he tries to travel to the hospital regularly to spend time with his brother, so they can support each other while grieving the loss of their mum.Â
‘Both of the boys have a long road to recovery ahead of them to address the physical and mental trauma thrown at them through no fault of their own.’
She revealed the loss of their mother and grandmother is just the latest blow to hit the family.
‘Marcus and Eric have already been through so much pain and hardship in their short lives after losing their baby sister, Destiny, to cancer when she was just two years old,’ she said.
Holli Ann Deacon (right) had been the full-time carer for her mother Kathy McElhinney, 58, (left with grandson Marcus) who was overcome by the trauma of the deadly smash and rushed into intensive care and later died
Grandson Marcus Anselmo (left) was visited in hospital by his grandmother Kathy McElhinney as they both tried to recover following the car crash and mum Holli Ann Deacon’s death
Holli Ann Deacon (left) was devoted a single mum to Marcus (centre) and Erik (right)Â
Holli Ann Deacon had earlier lost her toddler daughter to cancer when she was just two
‘It’s devastating that the boys have now had to bury their mother, who was only 39.
‘Kathy had been a huge part of the boys lives, and in the past few weeks she was who they turned to for guidance and support on how to cope with losing their mum.Â
‘The emotional toll is huge for the boys, and physical recovery is going to take a lot of time and will require a lot of resources.
‘It also involves a lot of uncertainty, which only adds to the worry that the boys are facing, whilst trying to come to terms with the fact their lives are forever changed.
‘As Kathy was a disabled pensioner, she doesn’t have any assets that will be passed down, and it also means that the family now has to scramble for yet another funeral.’
The family have now set up a Gofundme to try to help with the mounting funeral costs which has already raised almost $4000 in the first 24 hours.
Amy added: ‘This has been such a difficult and life changing time for the family.
‘They have faced so much tragedy in such a short time, losing the two most important women in their lives.
‘Our focus remains on trying to ease as much of the pain, suffering and worry that we can. ‘
The Audi driver was charged with dangerous driving causing death, three counts of dangerous driving causing grievous bodily harm, negligent driving causing death, and negligent driving causing grievous bodily harm.
His driver’s licence was suspended and he is due to appear before Narooma Local Court on May 11.
The family had been on their first holiday together in years when the crash happened just outside Narooma as they returned to Sydney for New Year’s Eve
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