Latest news with #DassSantiago
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Health
- Daily Mail
Australian family is ripped apart after their 'sacred journey' to India took a tragic turn
An Australian mum who was seriously injured a horrific head-on crash which claimed the lives of her husband and daughter remains stuck in India as her surviving child continues to fight for life. Melbourne couple Dass Santiago and Sandra Edward and their two young daughters were travelling with other family members to the Velankanni Christian shrine in the southern state of Tamil Nadu on May 21 when tragedy struck. The trip was meant to be a 'sacred journey' to visit his ailing mother and commemorate her husband's older brother, who died in Sydney last year. Their van collided with a bus on a highway, which killed six family members, including Mr Santiago, 45, another brother and his sister-in-law. 'I saw my husband die in front of me,' Ms Edward recalled on a GoFundMe page. 'That image is burned into my mind, a cruel, relentless torment. 'Barely surviving the crash myself with multiple fractures and life-threatening injuries, I clung to the hope that my children were safe.' Sadly, Ms Edward's youngest daughter Natasha was also killed, weeks shy of her sixth birthday next month. The family had been travelling in a van to a Christian shrine in the southern state of Tamil Nadu when it collided with a bus Her surviving daughter Angie endured two brain surgeries after the impact crushed her skull. Angie remains in a coma while Ms Edward also remains in hospital. 'How can I ever comprehend that I will never hold my little angel again? My heart is ripped to shreds, she said. 'I've also undergone two surgeries, and I don't know if I'll ever be the same. 'But I must live for Angie. She is my reason to fight, my last shred of hope in this unfathomable darkness.' The GoFundMe page has raised $108,000 within four days. Mr Santiago, who worked for Nissan Dandenong was hailed as a loving father and a devoted husband. 'I need help to bury my beloved Dass and my precious Tash,' the widow continued. 'And most urgently, I need help to medically evacuate Angie and myself back to Australia.' The family were members of the St Kevin's Catholic Parish in Hampton Park, which paid tribute this week 'We offer our deepest condolences to the loved ones of those we've lost, and pray for strength and hope for the ones still battling through this heartbreaking situation,' the parish posted online. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade confirmed consular assistance is being provided to an Australian family in India. 'We send our deepest condolences to the family at this difficult time. Owing to our privacy obligations we are unable to provide further comment,' they said. Ms Edward described how she was living in the 'deepest valley of despair' and still remains in hospital. Family friend Leon Vieyra told 7News Ms Edward and her daughter needed access to facilities and support. 'We need better medical facilities to cope with this magnitude that they're going through,' he said.
News.com.au
4 days ago
- Health
- News.com.au
Horror bus crash in India tear Aussie family of four from Clyde North, Melbourne
Two members of a family from Melbourne have been killed in a bus crash while in India, with another child left in a coma. Dass Santiago, his wife Sandra Edward and daughters Angela and Natasha embarked on a trip to India two weeks ago, before the tragic accident on May 21. Six people, including 45-year-old Dass, 5-year-old Natasha, Dass's brother and sister-in-law and other relatives, died from their injuries after their van crashed with a bus on a highway en route to Tamilnadu in southern India. Sandra is currently recovering in hospital after suffering life-threatening injuries Their eldest daughter Angela remains in a coma after undergoing two brain surgeries. The family from Clyde North in Melbourne were visiting Dass's ailing mother and also commemorating Dass's older brother, who had died in Sydney the year before. Friends of the family are appealing for help to bring back Sandra and Angela from the government hospital, where they say medical assistance is 'limited'. Philomena Peters, a family friend, told 7News the news was 'absolutely devastating and shattering'. Another family friend, Leon Vieyra said they were 'such a beautiful family'. 'A very generous family … they took a small pilgrim trip to Velankanni which is a very sacred place,' he said 'We need better medical facilities to cope with this magnitude that they're going through.' The GoFundMe has been created by Sandra, who said in the post description that her 'heart is ripped to shreds'. 'I saw my husband die in front of me. That image is burned into my mind, a cruel, relentless torment,' the fundraiser description reads. 'Barely surviving the crash myself with multiple fractures and life-threatening injuries, I clung to the hope that my children were safe. 'Then, the most devastating news imaginable: my youngest daughter, my sweet Tash, who was turning six next month, succumbed to her injuries. How can I ever comprehend that I will never hold my little angel again?'. Ms Edward says that she is appealing for public kindness and humanity amid the ordeal. 'I need help to bury my beloved Dass and my precious Tash,' the description continues. 'And most urgently, I need help to medically evacuate Angie and myself back to Australia. We desperately need the specialised medical care that can give us a chance at recovery and at rebuilding shattered lives. The fundraiser has currently raised $102,670 since being created last week. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade was contacted for a comment. 'The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is providing consular assistance to an Australian family in India,' the spokesperson said. 'We send our deepest condolences to the family at this difficult time. Owing to our privacy obligations we are unable to provide further comment.'
