02-06-2025
‘Sacred journey' turns into tragedy: Australian woman seeks fundraiser help to return after husband, daughter die in TN accident
A trip to India to visit a Christian pilgrim shrine near Tamil Nadu's Karaikal turned tragic for an Australian family, now survived only by Sandra Edward and her older daughter Angie, both grievously injured and seeking help to return to their country.
Melbourne-based Sandra was in India with her husband Dass Santiago (45) and two daughters — Angie and Natasha. They were on a 'sacred journey', visiting Santiago's ailing mother after her husband's older brother died in Sydney last year. He worked for Nissan Dandenong in Melbourne.
On May 21, as they were headed to the Velankanni Christian shrine, their van collided with a bus on a highway near Karaikal. Six family members were killed in the accident including Santiago and five-year-old Natasha who was looking to ring in her sixth birthday next month.
'I saw my husband die in front of me. That image is burned into my mind, a cruel, relentless torment,' Sandra wrote on a GoFundMe page created to raise about 150,ooo AUD to fund her daughter and her medical evacuation back to Australia. It is also expected to cover the memorial planned for her husband and younger daughter on June 14.
The GoFundMe page raised almost 137,000 AUD as of June 2.
Sandra, who was seriously injured, underwent two surgeries and is still receiving medical treatment.
'Barely surviving the crash myself with multiple fractures and life-threatening injuries, I clung to the hope that my children were safe,' she was quoted as saying on Daily Mail.
The impact of the accident crushed her elder daughter Angie's skull. She remains in a coma after undergoing two brain surgeries.
'I must live for Angie. She is my reason to fight, my last shred of hope in this unfathomable darkness. We desperately need the specialised medical care that can give us a chance at recovery and at rebuilding shattered lives,' Sandra added.
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 wrote in a post on social media.
Meanwhile, the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said it is providing consular assistance to Sandra for her return to Melbourne.
— With inputs from Daily Mail.
