January 24, 2021 • 32 mins
A group of seven carefree siblings and cousins, enjoying a moment of childhood independence as they walked to get ice cream from the shops on a hot Australian summer evening. There was laughter and jokes as they took turns on a bicycle – when without warning the unthinkable.
In the blink of an eye, an alleged drunk driver ploughs his out-of-control ute into the group at more than 100 kilometres per hour. Four young lives were instantly lost by the side of the road at Oatlands in Sydney’s west that fateful day in February this year – not even 10 minutes from their home. Three siblings, Antony Abdallah, 13, Angelina Abdallah, 12, and Sienna Abdallah, 8, and their cousin Veronique Sakr, 11, who now share the same grave. It was a tragedy that rocked all of Australia. The details would break any heart.
Dedicated to honouring the memories of their children, these courageous families open up to Michael Usher in this emotional story no parent can miss.
Listen to Part Two now.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:10):
Thank you all for coming in to my first Holy
Comedian celebration. Lord Jesus, thank you for always keeping me
safe and Rome so keeping me away from harm. Thank you,
thank you for giving me the gift of living another day.
Speaker 2 (00:35):
Sometimes you just wanna remember the last time.
Speaker 3 (00:44):
What were those last moments?
Speaker 2 (00:45):
It was me getting dropped off here and then running
upstairs to get my soccer stuff ready and have a
shower and everything, And it was her leaving the front
door and she's like bye, Michael, and I'm like bye, Yeah.
Speaker 4 (01:04):
One faithful choice.
Speaker 2 (01:07):
I just love to stay home and get it early night,
and everything happened.
Speaker 5 (01:12):
Michael had a soccer game the next day and wanted
a good night's sleep. His sister, very Nique wanted to
see her best friend, Angelina Abdullah. Angelina loved her cousin
very unique, but then everyone did.
Speaker 2 (01:27):
She was unique, very unique, and it's in her name
very Nique.
Speaker 6 (01:31):
Yeah, very very juicy. And she had a sense of humor. Yeah.
Speaker 7 (01:49):
She was did do anything to make your laugh as
long as other people around who were happy, issues happy.
Speaker 8 (02:02):
She demanded your attention because she'd give you her attention.
Speaker 3 (02:06):
She had a beautiful heart.
Speaker 5 (02:08):
Bridget Is Baronique's mum. Craig is Bridget's fiance.
Speaker 9 (02:12):
She wanted to be a lawyer and have twenty eight kids.
Speaker 4 (02:17):
Bob is Baronic's dad.
Speaker 7 (02:20):
I'm happy to share everything with anybody to show the
real person she was. There's a fac that was on
social media of their last sunset.
Speaker 5 (02:40):
It's their last selfie.
Speaker 10 (02:45):
That was like a couple of minutes before the crash.
Speaker 5 (02:48):
And then the children kept walking into the view of
a security camera on a house in Beddington Road, two
hundred meters from the crash site.
Speaker 7 (03:05):
I was given a video, obviously CTV camera of a
residence that shows the seventeen stopping on the corner. I
like to rejother because they were moving on and it
looks like I was just having a great time, enjoying
life right going just my screen, and they stopped there.
Speaker 4 (03:25):
It's only a short clip, and they.
Speaker 7 (03:28):
Rejothered and they started diding not forget on their merry way.
And that's the memory and that's how I want to
remember it. That's who my baby is. That's where she
(03:58):
was lasting this earth alive, knowing they didn't suffer no unaway,
as I've been told. The Calcain from behind them. Is
(04:18):
there any sort of comfort again allows me to accept
the brutality of the death. M h, we're not pulled up,
(04:57):
and so the chaos of people, lights, the et cetera.
I thought that's.
Speaker 6 (05:08):
It, something seriously has happened.
Speaker 7 (05:25):
I've asked him please just let me go down and
hug her.
Speaker 3 (05:33):
Where do you do?
Speaker 6 (05:36):
It was beyond horrible.
Speaker 4 (05:41):
There is children.
Speaker 8 (05:44):
I have to block that night out because those lights
and them, and the ropes, that tapes and people, it's
just all all too overwhelming.
Speaker 9 (06:00):
We could just see a maze of red and blue lights,
police and ambulance everywhere. And it probably wasn't until we
were sitting there for half an hour that they confirmed
that one of the four bodies.
Speaker 3 (06:14):
Was in fact Veronic.
Speaker 8 (06:26):
I miss her laugh, her personality, the word mum, mummy help,
might you put me to bed? I was had to
cuddle her before she went to bed, cuddle in mum.
Now I missed that.
Speaker 1 (07:32):
I would like to get my brother Michael to say
a few words about he's sorry.
Speaker 3 (07:46):
I remember Michael coming down the street from the car screaming,
I know no, no, where is she?
Speaker 6 (07:52):
Where is she?
Speaker 7 (07:54):
I turn after him and grabbed him and I remember
telling him, said, Michael from instead, she's gone. I said,
I need you to be you know it'd be strong. Yeah,
for your mum and the persons that came out of
his mouth. No, no, Michael, she's gone.
Speaker 11 (08:19):
He is dad.
Speaker 4 (08:20):
What am I going to do?
Speaker 6 (08:23):
I said, what?
Speaker 3 (08:24):
What do yount do?
Speaker 7 (08:24):
Watch? And he said to me, gues, how am I
going to live the rest of my life without her?
Speaker 3 (08:43):
And now that's what just ruined me? Tell you ruined me.
Speaker 7 (08:47):
I said, yeah, we're doing together.
Speaker 5 (09:11):
That very moving vision I saw of you leading the drums,
it was quite extraordinary.
Speaker 2 (09:19):
I didn't know how sad I was going to be
or what I was capable to do, but I guess
I just did it.
Speaker 3 (09:24):
For her, found that strength for the assistant.
Speaker 1 (09:39):
Ready, guys, okay, so now and so we went off
the last door when I was videos going downhill.
Speaker 7 (09:47):
But she just called back, hand to God, and knowing
that the four kids were holding your hands, skipping towards
that light, as I say, it gives me a little
bit more comfortition wasn't.
Speaker 8 (10:06):
And I will see her again. Absolutely, I know she's
around me. Sometimes I really feel kiss bumps from head
to toe, and I know that that's her, she's there.
Speaker 9 (10:19):
We've never seen a rainbow on her door. Right at.
Speaker 8 (10:23):
Her room has an amazing smell of roses. We pray
a lot, so when we do pray that you can
smell the rose even more.
Speaker 11 (10:31):
And this is.
Speaker 8 (10:33):
This is something I can't explain.
Speaker 12 (10:36):
To me.
Speaker 7 (10:37):
There's four children had the ultimate sacrifice with my faith.
Speaker 6 (10:43):
I know she's with the grandparents that shedn't have got.
Speaker 3 (10:46):
To meet on earth.
Speaker 7 (10:48):
And knowing the humor, sense of human she had and
that my mother had, I just feel sorry for everybody.
Speaker 3 (10:55):
Us up there. Yeah, how much you're missing your sister
every day?
Speaker 8 (11:07):
Every day.
Speaker 5 (11:30):
In the beautiful central Highlands of New South Wales, Danny and.
Speaker 4 (11:34):
Some friends have bought a property.
Speaker 5 (11:37):
They bought it as an escape from the city. Now
it's an escape from their words, a place to rebuild
and remember.
Speaker 12 (11:53):
This place is a place of healing. We come here
as a family and reflect on the kids that have
gone and remember the good times we've had with them and.
Speaker 11 (12:05):
Grieve together as well.
Speaker 4 (12:06):
Special place it is.
Speaker 2 (12:08):
It is.
Speaker 12 (12:08):
Indeed, it's going to get a bit bumpy, and I
love it here. It's what no contact out in the
real world. It's like another planet. It's our Jurassic Park
without the dinosaurs.
Speaker 11 (12:30):
This place here is our chapel.
Speaker 12 (12:32):
On the farm we've.
Speaker 11 (12:35):
Dedicated to our kids.
Speaker 12 (12:37):
Once the tragedy occurred, we made a decision to build
something and Leila and myself and family an extended family
would come here and pray and reflect and remember their lives.
Speaker 11 (13:03):
From the day it happened till today.
Speaker 12 (13:06):
All the decisions I've made I've had my father had
on Do I call up a ball at home and
cry and do nothing, or do I get up, man
up and move forward and lead the way as a dad.
Speaker 11 (13:21):
I've chosen that path.
Speaker 5 (13:23):
I'm guessing that's why this place up here is all
the more important to you, because you do get to
grab a few personal moments and let yourself think on
your own for a while.
Speaker 12 (13:33):
This is where I heal, I come, I get charged up,
and then I can give back more.
Speaker 13 (13:37):
To my kidsgah, the trauma of the survivors.
Speaker 3 (13:49):
I keep thinking about your daughter, how is she?
Speaker 14 (13:54):
She's very upset. Obviously she saw her brother as sisters
and her cousin that it fronts of her. That's quite
hard for ten years old to see at the experience.
But she's becoming a bit more resilient. She's like, I've
seen the toughest and what's there to be scared of anymore?
Speaker 10 (14:18):
Hi, guys, I'm Leanna of Dollah and I'm here to
celebrate my brother Alex ab Dollar's birthday.
Speaker 7 (14:24):
Hey Jane, to see what happened.
Speaker 5 (14:36):
While we were at the farm, Alex Abdallah turned six.
Alex was born in the same month as Anthony, his
older brother.
Speaker 15 (14:48):
How is I fe?
Speaker 5 (15:06):
Earlier that day, around the warming fire, two mothers reflected
on four children who now share the same grave. Their
burials took place over two days. The details would break
any heart.
Speaker 14 (15:23):
The preparation of the funeral was very hard. We had
to choose the coffin for every child. Which coffin's going
to be carried first into the church? Which child's going
to be veried first, one after the other, after the other,
and after the armor and with the next day all
(15:45):
over again.
Speaker 11 (15:48):
And I'm looking at the undertakers. I just see this
bright light. When I hear my son.
Speaker 12 (15:54):
Anthony, he goes, dud, I'm not here, you bury me.
I was in my suit. I told the undertaker, said move.
I grabbed the shovel and I just started higging the dirt.
Speaker 6 (16:08):
And throwing it in, throwing it in.
Speaker 12 (16:10):
As soon as I grabbed it, the whole crowd you
could hear a pin drop.
Speaker 11 (16:15):
They just went all quiet.
Speaker 12 (16:16):
Then I grabbed the shovel and I said to the crowd, guys, listen,
my kids aren't here.
Speaker 3 (16:22):
Do you want to see where they are?
Speaker 4 (16:23):
I go, They're up there, They're in heaven.
Speaker 3 (16:32):
Have you let yourself get angry at all?
Speaker 5 (16:35):
Because you have this strong faith. You have given so
much to God, yet he's taken so much.
Speaker 14 (16:43):
Look, I still love him, but I always ask questions.
I say, why, God, Why did you take my kids?
Why did you put us in this position? What do
you want from us?
Speaker 8 (16:55):
Right now?
Speaker 16 (16:56):
I feel like I'm calling God and I'm getting his
Andrew machine. I feel that I don't want to know why,
but the how? How am I going to live my
life without my daughter? Hearing her laugh, the beautiful blue
eyes looking at me. Branek and her cousins had at
(17:17):
least seventy years of life, and I feel like that
they have been robbed.
Speaker 8 (17:20):
Off their life.
Speaker 11 (17:22):
Get I get frustrated, Yeah, I get angry. I'm human.
I have those conversations with him.
Speaker 3 (17:32):
You just got what do you say to.
Speaker 11 (17:36):
What do I say? I cry when I pray. Sometimes
I ask him, what would you do it to me?
Speaker 8 (17:43):
For?
Speaker 3 (17:43):
Why?
Speaker 6 (17:44):
Why?
Speaker 12 (17:44):
Me?
Speaker 15 (17:46):
The best?
Speaker 5 (17:52):
Charbelle and Anthony were not only cousins, they were best mates.
On the day of the crash, year old Charbell was
one of the seven who went on the walk eight
minutes before sunset. Four children were dead and Charbell was
fighting for his life.
Speaker 3 (18:12):
We didn't think Chapelle was gonna make it. It's absolutely no.
Speaker 4 (18:18):
How he survived is beyond the belief.
Speaker 10 (18:22):
Oh my name is Chabo Cassis. I was in a
koma for two months. But this is how I survived.
My cousins that passed away prayed for me so I
get better.
Speaker 5 (18:34):
Yeah.
Speaker 10 (18:35):
I was riding a bike and Anthony I was next
to me.
Speaker 5 (18:37):
They had been sharing Anthony's bike and it was Charbell's
turn to ride it. Moments later, the bike was crushed
and Charbell was unconscious and not breathing.
Speaker 12 (18:49):
I thought my.
Speaker 3 (18:50):
Brother was dead. I was like, Chabell, please wake up.
Speaker 10 (18:55):
People just came to CPR and I was like Chabell's breathing.
Speaker 4 (19:02):
But he was critically ill. He was raised to hospital.
Speaker 3 (19:06):
He was in a coma for two months and the Huff.
Speaker 4 (19:09):
Char Bell wasn't expected to live.
Speaker 3 (19:13):
Did you feel that you would lose him whilst he
was in the coma?
Speaker 6 (19:16):
Yeah, they didn't.
Speaker 5 (19:18):
Basically zero anxious days, then weeks pasted.
Speaker 12 (19:23):
We had Australia, the whole country and the whole world
was praying for that kid.
Speaker 5 (19:27):
The person who perhaps prayed harder than most was his sister.
She'd sit by his bed willing him to survive.
Speaker 10 (19:34):
I was like callding zand and I was kissing him
and I was like, please, Angelina, Arci andare Veronique and
Anthony now your angels?
Speaker 6 (19:43):
So can you please.
Speaker 12 (19:44):
Help help our family and help char Bell recover.
Speaker 3 (19:48):
I was praying for them to help us.
Speaker 5 (19:51):
In April, more than two months after the crash, char
Bell opened his eyes. That moment when he finally wakes.
What was that like for you as his mum?
Speaker 3 (20:02):
And like, I just gave those for him again.
Speaker 5 (20:04):
You had your boy back back Va La la sauss.
When sharp Bell came out of the coma, he couldn't
contain his excitement.
Speaker 11 (20:18):
So we believe in miracles, La La la saus.
Speaker 4 (20:24):
So was it a miracle?
Speaker 3 (20:33):
I don't know.
Speaker 17 (20:33):
I don't know if it was just the wonders of
medical science today, or some divine intervention, or a mixture
of both.
Speaker 4 (20:41):
Anthony Fisher is the Archbishop of Sydney.
Speaker 17 (20:43):
At one stage there was not a lot of hope
held out for him medically, and there was such a turnaround. Well,
it's natural for people of faith to see that as miraculous,
to see that as another sign of God's embrace of
God's love in their life, and maybe the deceased praying
for him in God's court.
Speaker 18 (21:05):
I believe that the kids helped him a lot.
Speaker 6 (21:10):
So that's why he came back. I know that helped Chubell.
Speaker 10 (21:13):
I know that's how I got back life.
Speaker 3 (21:20):
Does he remember what happened?
Speaker 6 (21:21):
No, he doesn't remember.
Speaker 5 (21:23):
Charbel may have no recollection of the accident, but he
does remember one of his last conversations with his cousin
and best friend, Anthony Abdullah.
Speaker 10 (21:33):
So like he told me he's gonna marry someone really cute,
best best mates.
Speaker 3 (21:43):
I just love him.
Speaker 10 (21:45):
I always what happened to him happened to me, and
what happened to me happened to him. Like he wished
that he was the one that died, and he wished
that anti Dawe that survived because Anthony has a lot
to go in his life. Yeah.
Speaker 5 (22:05):
Before the accident, Charbell was an active boy. The weeks
since he emerged from the coma have been painful and difficult.
One of his few outings has been to visit the
cemetery where his cousins are buried, their lives gone. His
life changed forever.
Speaker 18 (22:23):
My nephew was full of life, and it breaks your
heart to see him from an ordillary child to love
a boy who now have a brain injury and he
can't do the basic He can't play soccer, he can't
jump on the Chamberlaine, and that's very heartbreaking.
Speaker 10 (22:41):
Now I'm not as fast as I was and I'm
not as good as I was.
Speaker 19 (22:48):
Yeah, very personal question, if you'n't mind, would you think
about having more children.
Speaker 6 (23:06):
And gelina?
Speaker 14 (23:06):
Your favorite drink is argulic you know.
Speaker 15 (23:12):
Okay, no, mommy, Yeah, I'd love to have more kids,
you know, very nice memory.
Speaker 20 (23:21):
And I've got every day of sea and I tell him,
hurry up, mom and have more kids.
Speaker 3 (23:28):
Yes, I would. That would be a happy thing.
Speaker 20 (23:32):
I love kids. I love kids so much. And breaks
my heart. The fact that Leanna Alex said Michael, I
got to grow up without their brother. It's sister's favorite brother, Alex.
Speaker 1 (23:44):
Why because Alex always says, you're my best friend.
Speaker 12 (23:48):
And he one and gives me hugs and he will
not leave me alone.
Speaker 1 (23:51):
And he's so cute and I want to sqush the
little pieces.
Speaker 3 (23:55):
And he's curly here, which is so adorable.
Speaker 17 (24:00):
What punishment is the right punishment for fortess? What kind
of sorry is the right crass sorry? We know there
are harms that in this life you can't make right.
Speaker 18 (24:11):
Oh God.
Speaker 5 (24:16):
After the crash, at the site where four kids were killed,
there was an impromptu and emotional roadside vigil. It was here,
two days after she lost three of her children, that
Leila Abdullah did something remarkable, something given the enormity of
the tragedy, that few expected and many could never contemplate.
Speaker 4 (24:38):
She forgave the driver.
Speaker 21 (24:42):
Right now, I can't hate him, and.
Speaker 14 (24:45):
I don't want to see him.
Speaker 21 (24:47):
I don't hate him. I think in my heart I
forgive him. But I want the court to to be fair. Right,
It's all about fairness. If Jesus came for give, we
have to forgive.
Speaker 8 (25:02):
For forgiveness helps me live in the present. It helps
me not carry anger or hate.
Speaker 14 (25:11):
I pray for the driver, I pray for the passenger.
I pray for everyone who's in need of prayers. But
at the same time, you're need justice and we believe
it to your justice.
Speaker 9 (25:21):
Just because we forgive doesn't mean we don't want to
see the full force of the law.
Speaker 5 (25:25):
Replied on that question of forgiveness, You can forgive, but
I would imagine you would have mates around you are
probably saying to you, well, let's sort him out. Have
you had people approach you to who are as forgiving
as you but want stronger action against the driver.
Speaker 12 (25:43):
Yes, I've had people wanting to seek revenge and I've
asked them to stop, and they have stopped. And they've
cried when I said that, because they how can I
say it? They look at it and then understand that
I said.
Speaker 3 (26:00):
Just leave him.
Speaker 11 (26:01):
It's not going to get my kids back. He's with
the court.
Speaker 12 (26:04):
Noel, I don't want anger, bitterness, and revenge in my household.
Today we've focused on forgiveness and starting our lives all
over again, knowing that will see them soon.
Speaker 18 (26:24):
Today, look at.
Speaker 14 (26:26):
This girl, give her the look right.
Speaker 21 (26:31):
Yes, they're handsome.
Speaker 14 (26:33):
Oh, the girls are checking your ass.
Speaker 8 (26:35):
There is life after death, absolutely, and that's what gives
me comfort to know that she's with the Lord and
with her cousins, and I will see her again. And
if I didn't think I was going to see her again,
I would be a very different person.
Speaker 5 (26:54):
There were two people in the car that night, the
alleged driver who was charged and passenger who wasn't.
Speaker 11 (27:02):
I'll tell you what.
Speaker 12 (27:03):
There should be some sort of accountability.
Speaker 7 (27:08):
If you're in a car and somebody else's driving and
extremely dangerous behavior, why wouldn't you pull them up?
Speaker 11 (27:16):
Look all what the law's changed.
Speaker 12 (27:18):
I don't know how extreme we can go, but there
should be fines if you're in the car with a
drink driver.
Speaker 3 (27:26):
Am I right in saying? And I'm pretty sure I'm
right in saying?
Speaker 11 (27:30):
You know this.
Speaker 3 (27:30):
You're a young fellow and you got caught duy, didn't you?
Speaker 6 (27:33):
Yes?
Speaker 11 (27:34):
In my twenties, long time ago.
Speaker 5 (27:37):
Yeah, So it's a message that's you can speak from experience.
Speaker 3 (27:42):
I care about not being stupid.
Speaker 11 (27:44):
Yeah, we all make mistakes.
Speaker 12 (27:48):
I'm not here to tell you how perfect I am,
because I'm far from it. You know, you learn from
your mistakes and you move forward, and you want to
stop other people from doing that. So I don't think
the guy wanted to do what he did, but he
did it, and there's a consequence. Seven kids got here
by car.
Speaker 5 (28:11):
Sienna was only eight when she died, and Lailah, her mum,
is certain that through Sienna, there have been signs from God.
At the funeral home prior to her burial, Lailah prayed
over the body of her youngest daughter.
Speaker 14 (28:27):
As I was saying, our father was Sierra. A tear
started for we got her right, I started scrawrely, got
her cheek and stopped here. We all looked at her
and we read it chocolate, what just happened? And the
white lady defeated as she saw it, and she goes,
(28:48):
I'll be twenty five years at the industry and I've
never seen anything like that in my life. And I
guess this is God giving us a side of reassured
as that has the art with me.
Speaker 17 (29:14):
In these situations. Faith can go either way. It can
break your faith. How could God allow this? Or you
draw closer to God? I think it goes one way
or the other. It doesn't stay the.
Speaker 3 (29:28):
Same of.
Speaker 8 (29:37):
And surecus I have distress.
Speaker 17 (29:47):
I have no doubt that all they are with God.
God's going to have his arms wide open for them,
and they are safe, and now they are completely happy.
Speaker 8 (29:59):
This life is short, life after death is eternal.
Speaker 17 (30:03):
That's a wonderful source of consolation for their family left
tear on earth. That they'll enjoy that too, That there
will be a reunion.
Speaker 1 (30:18):
You've missed that so much.
Speaker 3 (30:21):
They were made for heaven.
Speaker 6 (30:23):
They're angels, They're watching all of us.
Speaker 11 (30:28):
These kids, they shook the world.
Speaker 20 (30:31):
Thank you.
Speaker 10 (30:32):
I love you, I love you, I do you.
Speaker 6 (30:36):
I miss them so much, right.
Speaker 12 (30:57):
Hey, kids, I love you guys so much. We all
miss you, guys, and I can't wait to see you
guys again. All of my days and every minute of
the day, You'll always be in my mind and I'll
(31:18):
always remember the good times and share the good stories
about you guys.
Speaker 11 (31:21):
I'm proud of you all, and I love you.
Thank you all for coming in to my first Holy
Comedian celebration. Lord Jesus, thank you for always keeping me
safe and Rome so keeping me away from harm. Thank you,
thank you for giving me the gift of living another day.
Speaker 2 (00:35):
Sometimes you just wanna remember the last time.
Speaker 3 (00:44):
What were those last moments?
Speaker 2 (00:45):
It was me getting dropped off here and then running
upstairs to get my soccer stuff ready and have a
shower and everything, And it was her leaving the front
door and she's like bye, Michael, and I'm like bye, Yeah.
Speaker 4 (01:04):
One faithful choice.
Speaker 2 (01:07):
I just love to stay home and get it early night,
and everything happened.
Speaker 5 (01:12):
Michael had a soccer game the next day and wanted
a good night's sleep. His sister, very Nique wanted to
see her best friend, Angelina Abdullah. Angelina loved her cousin
very unique, but then everyone did.
Speaker 2 (01:27):
She was unique, very unique, and it's in her name
very Nique.
Speaker 6 (01:31):
Yeah, very very juicy. And she had a sense of humor. Yeah.
Speaker 7 (01:49):
She was did do anything to make your laugh as
long as other people around who were happy, issues happy.
Speaker 8 (02:02):
She demanded your attention because she'd give you her attention.
Speaker 3 (02:06):
She had a beautiful heart.
Speaker 5 (02:08):
Bridget Is Baronique's mum. Craig is Bridget's fiance.
Speaker 9 (02:12):
She wanted to be a lawyer and have twenty eight kids.
Speaker 4 (02:17):
Bob is Baronic's dad.
Speaker 7 (02:20):
I'm happy to share everything with anybody to show the
real person she was. There's a fac that was on
social media of their last sunset.
Speaker 5 (02:40):
It's their last selfie.
Speaker 10 (02:45):
That was like a couple of minutes before the crash.
Speaker 5 (02:48):
And then the children kept walking into the view of
a security camera on a house in Beddington Road, two
hundred meters from the crash site.
Speaker 7 (03:05):
I was given a video, obviously CTV camera of a
residence that shows the seventeen stopping on the corner. I
like to rejother because they were moving on and it
looks like I was just having a great time, enjoying
life right going just my screen, and they stopped there.
Speaker 4 (03:25):
It's only a short clip, and they.
Speaker 7 (03:28):
Rejothered and they started diding not forget on their merry way.
And that's the memory and that's how I want to
remember it. That's who my baby is. That's where she
(03:58):
was lasting this earth alive, knowing they didn't suffer no unaway,
as I've been told. The Calcain from behind them. Is
(04:18):
there any sort of comfort again allows me to accept
the brutality of the death. M h, we're not pulled up,
(04:57):
and so the chaos of people, lights, the et cetera.
I thought that's.
Speaker 6 (05:08):
It, something seriously has happened.
Speaker 7 (05:25):
I've asked him please just let me go down and
hug her.
Speaker 3 (05:33):
Where do you do?
Speaker 6 (05:36):
It was beyond horrible.
Speaker 4 (05:41):
There is children.
Speaker 8 (05:44):
I have to block that night out because those lights
and them, and the ropes, that tapes and people, it's
just all all too overwhelming.
Speaker 9 (06:00):
We could just see a maze of red and blue lights,
police and ambulance everywhere. And it probably wasn't until we
were sitting there for half an hour that they confirmed
that one of the four bodies.
Speaker 3 (06:14):
Was in fact Veronic.
Speaker 8 (06:26):
I miss her laugh, her personality, the word mum, mummy help,
might you put me to bed? I was had to
cuddle her before she went to bed, cuddle in mum.
Now I missed that.
Speaker 1 (07:32):
I would like to get my brother Michael to say
a few words about he's sorry.
Speaker 3 (07:46):
I remember Michael coming down the street from the car screaming,
I know no, no, where is she?
Speaker 6 (07:52):
Where is she?
Speaker 7 (07:54):
I turn after him and grabbed him and I remember
telling him, said, Michael from instead, she's gone. I said,
I need you to be you know it'd be strong. Yeah,
for your mum and the persons that came out of
his mouth. No, no, Michael, she's gone.
Speaker 11 (08:19):
He is dad.
Speaker 4 (08:20):
What am I going to do?
Speaker 6 (08:23):
I said, what?
Speaker 3 (08:24):
What do yount do?
Speaker 7 (08:24):
Watch? And he said to me, gues, how am I
going to live the rest of my life without her?
Speaker 3 (08:43):
And now that's what just ruined me? Tell you ruined me.
Speaker 7 (08:47):
I said, yeah, we're doing together.
Speaker 5 (09:11):
That very moving vision I saw of you leading the drums,
it was quite extraordinary.
Speaker 2 (09:19):
I didn't know how sad I was going to be
or what I was capable to do, but I guess
I just did it.
Speaker 3 (09:24):
For her, found that strength for the assistant.
Speaker 1 (09:39):
Ready, guys, okay, so now and so we went off
the last door when I was videos going downhill.
Speaker 7 (09:47):
But she just called back, hand to God, and knowing
that the four kids were holding your hands, skipping towards
that light, as I say, it gives me a little
bit more comfortition wasn't.
Speaker 8 (10:06):
And I will see her again. Absolutely, I know she's
around me. Sometimes I really feel kiss bumps from head
to toe, and I know that that's her, she's there.
Speaker 9 (10:19):
We've never seen a rainbow on her door. Right at.
Speaker 8 (10:23):
Her room has an amazing smell of roses. We pray
a lot, so when we do pray that you can
smell the rose even more.
Speaker 11 (10:31):
And this is.
Speaker 8 (10:33):
This is something I can't explain.
Speaker 12 (10:36):
To me.
Speaker 7 (10:37):
There's four children had the ultimate sacrifice with my faith.
Speaker 6 (10:43):
I know she's with the grandparents that shedn't have got.
Speaker 3 (10:46):
To meet on earth.
Speaker 7 (10:48):
And knowing the humor, sense of human she had and
that my mother had, I just feel sorry for everybody.
Speaker 3 (10:55):
Us up there. Yeah, how much you're missing your sister
every day?
Speaker 8 (11:07):
Every day.
Speaker 5 (11:30):
In the beautiful central Highlands of New South Wales, Danny and.
Speaker 4 (11:34):
Some friends have bought a property.
Speaker 5 (11:37):
They bought it as an escape from the city. Now
it's an escape from their words, a place to rebuild
and remember.
Speaker 12 (11:53):
This place is a place of healing. We come here
as a family and reflect on the kids that have
gone and remember the good times we've had with them and.
Speaker 11 (12:05):
Grieve together as well.
Speaker 4 (12:06):
Special place it is.
Speaker 2 (12:08):
It is.
Speaker 12 (12:08):
Indeed, it's going to get a bit bumpy, and I
love it here. It's what no contact out in the
real world. It's like another planet. It's our Jurassic Park
without the dinosaurs.
Speaker 11 (12:30):
This place here is our chapel.
Speaker 12 (12:32):
On the farm we've.
Speaker 11 (12:35):
Dedicated to our kids.
Speaker 12 (12:37):
Once the tragedy occurred, we made a decision to build
something and Leila and myself and family an extended family
would come here and pray and reflect and remember their lives.
Speaker 11 (13:03):
From the day it happened till today.
Speaker 12 (13:06):
All the decisions I've made I've had my father had
on Do I call up a ball at home and
cry and do nothing, or do I get up, man
up and move forward and lead the way as a dad.
Speaker 11 (13:21):
I've chosen that path.
Speaker 5 (13:23):
I'm guessing that's why this place up here is all
the more important to you, because you do get to
grab a few personal moments and let yourself think on
your own for a while.
Speaker 12 (13:33):
This is where I heal, I come, I get charged up,
and then I can give back more.
Speaker 13 (13:37):
To my kidsgah, the trauma of the survivors.
Speaker 3 (13:49):
I keep thinking about your daughter, how is she?
Speaker 14 (13:54):
She's very upset. Obviously she saw her brother as sisters
and her cousin that it fronts of her. That's quite
hard for ten years old to see at the experience.
But she's becoming a bit more resilient. She's like, I've
seen the toughest and what's there to be scared of anymore?
Speaker 10 (14:18):
Hi, guys, I'm Leanna of Dollah and I'm here to
celebrate my brother Alex ab Dollar's birthday.
Speaker 7 (14:24):
Hey Jane, to see what happened.
Speaker 5 (14:36):
While we were at the farm, Alex Abdallah turned six.
Alex was born in the same month as Anthony, his
older brother.
Speaker 15 (14:48):
How is I fe?
Speaker 5 (15:06):
Earlier that day, around the warming fire, two mothers reflected
on four children who now share the same grave. Their
burials took place over two days. The details would break
any heart.
Speaker 14 (15:23):
The preparation of the funeral was very hard. We had
to choose the coffin for every child. Which coffin's going
to be carried first into the church? Which child's going
to be veried first, one after the other, after the other,
and after the armor and with the next day all
(15:45):
over again.
Speaker 11 (15:48):
And I'm looking at the undertakers. I just see this
bright light. When I hear my son.
Speaker 12 (15:54):
Anthony, he goes, dud, I'm not here, you bury me.
I was in my suit. I told the undertaker, said move.
I grabbed the shovel and I just started higging the dirt.
Speaker 6 (16:08):
And throwing it in, throwing it in.
Speaker 12 (16:10):
As soon as I grabbed it, the whole crowd you
could hear a pin drop.
Speaker 11 (16:15):
They just went all quiet.
Speaker 12 (16:16):
Then I grabbed the shovel and I said to the crowd, guys, listen,
my kids aren't here.
Speaker 3 (16:22):
Do you want to see where they are?
Speaker 4 (16:23):
I go, They're up there, They're in heaven.
Speaker 3 (16:32):
Have you let yourself get angry at all?
Speaker 5 (16:35):
Because you have this strong faith. You have given so
much to God, yet he's taken so much.
Speaker 14 (16:43):
Look, I still love him, but I always ask questions.
I say, why, God, Why did you take my kids?
Why did you put us in this position? What do
you want from us?
Speaker 8 (16:55):
Right now?
Speaker 16 (16:56):
I feel like I'm calling God and I'm getting his
Andrew machine. I feel that I don't want to know why,
but the how? How am I going to live my
life without my daughter? Hearing her laugh, the beautiful blue
eyes looking at me. Branek and her cousins had at
(17:17):
least seventy years of life, and I feel like that
they have been robbed.
Speaker 8 (17:20):
Off their life.
Speaker 11 (17:22):
Get I get frustrated, Yeah, I get angry. I'm human.
I have those conversations with him.
Speaker 3 (17:32):
You just got what do you say to.
Speaker 11 (17:36):
What do I say? I cry when I pray. Sometimes
I ask him, what would you do it to me?
Speaker 8 (17:43):
For?
Speaker 3 (17:43):
Why?
Speaker 6 (17:44):
Why?
Speaker 12 (17:44):
Me?
Speaker 15 (17:46):
The best?
Speaker 5 (17:52):
Charbelle and Anthony were not only cousins, they were best mates.
On the day of the crash, year old Charbell was
one of the seven who went on the walk eight
minutes before sunset. Four children were dead and Charbell was
fighting for his life.
Speaker 3 (18:12):
We didn't think Chapelle was gonna make it. It's absolutely no.
Speaker 4 (18:18):
How he survived is beyond the belief.
Speaker 10 (18:22):
Oh my name is Chabo Cassis. I was in a
koma for two months. But this is how I survived.
My cousins that passed away prayed for me so I
get better.
Speaker 5 (18:34):
Yeah.
Speaker 10 (18:35):
I was riding a bike and Anthony I was next
to me.
Speaker 5 (18:37):
They had been sharing Anthony's bike and it was Charbell's
turn to ride it. Moments later, the bike was crushed
and Charbell was unconscious and not breathing.
Speaker 12 (18:49):
I thought my.
Speaker 3 (18:50):
Brother was dead. I was like, Chabell, please wake up.
Speaker 10 (18:55):
People just came to CPR and I was like Chabell's breathing.
Speaker 4 (19:02):
But he was critically ill. He was raised to hospital.
Speaker 3 (19:06):
He was in a coma for two months and the Huff.
Speaker 4 (19:09):
Char Bell wasn't expected to live.
Speaker 3 (19:13):
Did you feel that you would lose him whilst he
was in the coma?
Speaker 6 (19:16):
Yeah, they didn't.
Speaker 5 (19:18):
Basically zero anxious days, then weeks pasted.
Speaker 12 (19:23):
We had Australia, the whole country and the whole world
was praying for that kid.
Speaker 5 (19:27):
The person who perhaps prayed harder than most was his sister.
She'd sit by his bed willing him to survive.
Speaker 10 (19:34):
I was like callding zand and I was kissing him
and I was like, please, Angelina, Arci andare Veronique and
Anthony now your angels?
Speaker 6 (19:43):
So can you please.
Speaker 12 (19:44):
Help help our family and help char Bell recover.
Speaker 3 (19:48):
I was praying for them to help us.
Speaker 5 (19:51):
In April, more than two months after the crash, char
Bell opened his eyes. That moment when he finally wakes.
What was that like for you as his mum?
Speaker 3 (20:02):
And like, I just gave those for him again.
Speaker 5 (20:04):
You had your boy back back Va La la sauss.
When sharp Bell came out of the coma, he couldn't
contain his excitement.
Speaker 11 (20:18):
So we believe in miracles, La La la saus.
Speaker 4 (20:24):
So was it a miracle?
Speaker 3 (20:33):
I don't know.
Speaker 17 (20:33):
I don't know if it was just the wonders of
medical science today, or some divine intervention, or a mixture
of both.
Speaker 4 (20:41):
Anthony Fisher is the Archbishop of Sydney.
Speaker 17 (20:43):
At one stage there was not a lot of hope
held out for him medically, and there was such a turnaround. Well,
it's natural for people of faith to see that as miraculous,
to see that as another sign of God's embrace of
God's love in their life, and maybe the deceased praying
for him in God's court.
Speaker 18 (21:05):
I believe that the kids helped him a lot.
Speaker 6 (21:10):
So that's why he came back. I know that helped Chubell.
Speaker 10 (21:13):
I know that's how I got back life.
Speaker 3 (21:20):
Does he remember what happened?
Speaker 6 (21:21):
No, he doesn't remember.
Speaker 5 (21:23):
Charbel may have no recollection of the accident, but he
does remember one of his last conversations with his cousin
and best friend, Anthony Abdullah.
Speaker 10 (21:33):
So like he told me he's gonna marry someone really cute,
best best mates.
Speaker 3 (21:43):
I just love him.
Speaker 10 (21:45):
I always what happened to him happened to me, and
what happened to me happened to him. Like he wished
that he was the one that died, and he wished
that anti Dawe that survived because Anthony has a lot
to go in his life. Yeah.
Speaker 5 (22:05):
Before the accident, Charbell was an active boy. The weeks
since he emerged from the coma have been painful and difficult.
One of his few outings has been to visit the
cemetery where his cousins are buried, their lives gone. His
life changed forever.
Speaker 18 (22:23):
My nephew was full of life, and it breaks your
heart to see him from an ordillary child to love
a boy who now have a brain injury and he
can't do the basic He can't play soccer, he can't
jump on the Chamberlaine, and that's very heartbreaking.
Speaker 10 (22:41):
Now I'm not as fast as I was and I'm
not as good as I was.
Speaker 19 (22:48):
Yeah, very personal question, if you'n't mind, would you think
about having more children.
Speaker 6 (23:06):
And gelina?
Speaker 14 (23:06):
Your favorite drink is argulic you know.
Speaker 15 (23:12):
Okay, no, mommy, Yeah, I'd love to have more kids,
you know, very nice memory.
Speaker 20 (23:21):
And I've got every day of sea and I tell him,
hurry up, mom and have more kids.
Speaker 3 (23:28):
Yes, I would. That would be a happy thing.
Speaker 20 (23:32):
I love kids. I love kids so much. And breaks
my heart. The fact that Leanna Alex said Michael, I
got to grow up without their brother. It's sister's favorite brother, Alex.
Speaker 1 (23:44):
Why because Alex always says, you're my best friend.
Speaker 12 (23:48):
And he one and gives me hugs and he will
not leave me alone.
Speaker 1 (23:51):
And he's so cute and I want to sqush the
little pieces.
Speaker 3 (23:55):
And he's curly here, which is so adorable.
Speaker 17 (24:00):
What punishment is the right punishment for fortess? What kind
of sorry is the right crass sorry? We know there
are harms that in this life you can't make right.
Speaker 18 (24:11):
Oh God.
Speaker 5 (24:16):
After the crash, at the site where four kids were killed,
there was an impromptu and emotional roadside vigil. It was here,
two days after she lost three of her children, that
Leila Abdullah did something remarkable, something given the enormity of
the tragedy, that few expected and many could never contemplate.
Speaker 4 (24:38):
She forgave the driver.
Speaker 21 (24:42):
Right now, I can't hate him, and.
Speaker 14 (24:45):
I don't want to see him.
Speaker 21 (24:47):
I don't hate him. I think in my heart I
forgive him. But I want the court to to be fair. Right,
It's all about fairness. If Jesus came for give, we
have to forgive.
Speaker 8 (25:02):
For forgiveness helps me live in the present. It helps
me not carry anger or hate.
Speaker 14 (25:11):
I pray for the driver, I pray for the passenger.
I pray for everyone who's in need of prayers. But
at the same time, you're need justice and we believe
it to your justice.
Speaker 9 (25:21):
Just because we forgive doesn't mean we don't want to
see the full force of the law.
Speaker 5 (25:25):
Replied on that question of forgiveness, You can forgive, but
I would imagine you would have mates around you are
probably saying to you, well, let's sort him out. Have
you had people approach you to who are as forgiving
as you but want stronger action against the driver.
Speaker 12 (25:43):
Yes, I've had people wanting to seek revenge and I've
asked them to stop, and they have stopped. And they've
cried when I said that, because they how can I
say it? They look at it and then understand that
I said.
Speaker 3 (26:00):
Just leave him.
Speaker 11 (26:01):
It's not going to get my kids back. He's with
the court.
Speaker 12 (26:04):
Noel, I don't want anger, bitterness, and revenge in my household.
Today we've focused on forgiveness and starting our lives all
over again, knowing that will see them soon.
Speaker 18 (26:24):
Today, look at.
Speaker 14 (26:26):
This girl, give her the look right.
Speaker 21 (26:31):
Yes, they're handsome.
Speaker 14 (26:33):
Oh, the girls are checking your ass.
Speaker 8 (26:35):
There is life after death, absolutely, and that's what gives
me comfort to know that she's with the Lord and
with her cousins, and I will see her again. And
if I didn't think I was going to see her again,
I would be a very different person.
Speaker 5 (26:54):
There were two people in the car that night, the
alleged driver who was charged and passenger who wasn't.
Speaker 11 (27:02):
I'll tell you what.
Speaker 12 (27:03):
There should be some sort of accountability.
Speaker 7 (27:08):
If you're in a car and somebody else's driving and
extremely dangerous behavior, why wouldn't you pull them up?
Speaker 11 (27:16):
Look all what the law's changed.
Speaker 12 (27:18):
I don't know how extreme we can go, but there
should be fines if you're in the car with a
drink driver.
Speaker 3 (27:26):
Am I right in saying? And I'm pretty sure I'm
right in saying?
Speaker 11 (27:30):
You know this.
Speaker 3 (27:30):
You're a young fellow and you got caught duy, didn't you?
Speaker 6 (27:33):
Yes?
Speaker 11 (27:34):
In my twenties, long time ago.
Speaker 5 (27:37):
Yeah, So it's a message that's you can speak from experience.
Speaker 3 (27:42):
I care about not being stupid.
Speaker 11 (27:44):
Yeah, we all make mistakes.
Speaker 12 (27:48):
I'm not here to tell you how perfect I am,
because I'm far from it. You know, you learn from
your mistakes and you move forward, and you want to
stop other people from doing that. So I don't think
the guy wanted to do what he did, but he
did it, and there's a consequence. Seven kids got here
by car.
Speaker 5 (28:11):
Sienna was only eight when she died, and Lailah, her mum,
is certain that through Sienna, there have been signs from God.
At the funeral home prior to her burial, Lailah prayed
over the body of her youngest daughter.
Speaker 14 (28:27):
As I was saying, our father was Sierra. A tear
started for we got her right, I started scrawrely, got
her cheek and stopped here. We all looked at her
and we read it chocolate, what just happened? And the
white lady defeated as she saw it, and she goes,
(28:48):
I'll be twenty five years at the industry and I've
never seen anything like that in my life. And I
guess this is God giving us a side of reassured
as that has the art with me.
Speaker 17 (29:14):
In these situations. Faith can go either way. It can
break your faith. How could God allow this? Or you
draw closer to God? I think it goes one way
or the other. It doesn't stay the.
Speaker 3 (29:28):
Same of.
Speaker 8 (29:37):
And surecus I have distress.
Speaker 17 (29:47):
I have no doubt that all they are with God.
God's going to have his arms wide open for them,
and they are safe, and now they are completely happy.
Speaker 8 (29:59):
This life is short, life after death is eternal.
Speaker 17 (30:03):
That's a wonderful source of consolation for their family left
tear on earth. That they'll enjoy that too, That there
will be a reunion.
Speaker 1 (30:18):
You've missed that so much.
Speaker 3 (30:21):
They were made for heaven.
Speaker 6 (30:23):
They're angels, They're watching all of us.
Speaker 11 (30:28):
These kids, they shook the world.
Speaker 20 (30:31):
Thank you.
Speaker 10 (30:32):
I love you, I love you, I do you.
Speaker 6 (30:36):
I miss them so much, right.
Speaker 12 (30:57):
Hey, kids, I love you guys so much. We all
miss you, guys, and I can't wait to see you
guys again. All of my days and every minute of
the day, You'll always be in my mind and I'll
(31:18):
always remember the good times and share the good stories
about you guys.
Speaker 11 (31:21):
I'm proud of you all, and I love you.
Popular Podcasts
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.
24/7 News: The Latest
The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.