A teenage boy whose mother and brother were killed in a car crash on the South Coast last week has been delivered another crushing blow: the body of his father has been found in a creek in the aftermath of Queensland's devastating floods.
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Shanon Heidemann, 17, and his extended family had been searching for his missing father, 50-year-old David Heidemann, who disappeared in floodwaters west of Gympie, when he learned that his mother, brother and sister had been involved in a horrific crash on the Princes Highway at Berry.
Shanon's mother, Jane Towers, had been driving south on the Princes Highway at Berry to visit family at Narooma on the NSW South Coast when her vehicle and a truck collided on April 4.
The truck flattened their vehicle, killing Ms Towers and her 12-year-old son, Jayjay, while her daughter Khloe, 14, was critically injured.
On the weekend, Queensland Police delivered the shattering news that a State Emergency Service volunteer had found Mr Heidemann's body in Barambah Creek at Mondure, west of Gympie.
Mr Heidemann was last seen alive on March 30 when he told family he was going to see a friend, but he never returned home, as south-east Queensland was lashed by severe weather in the aftermath of Cyclone Debbie.
Ms Towers' sister-in-law Belinda Hartigan, who lives in Wagga Wagga, said Shanon's father and mother had separated, and Shanon had opted to live with his father in Mondue.
Shanon was being looked after by his grandmother, she said. The latest update from the hospital indicated Khloe remained in a critical condition but "was doing very well", she said.
Ms Hartigan said Shanon was "holding up" after receiving the tragic news.
"He's doing the best that he can with everything that's happening," she said.
Ms Hartigan said she had offered Shanon the opportunity to join her family, after making a promise to Ms Towers that if anything happened to her she would take care of the children.
"Jane was my little ray of sunshine ... and a beautiful soul," Ms Hartigan said.
"She was very open and welcoming to everyone and was always there if you needed her.
"When David and Jane were together, they were a lovely couple.
"The children were little angels, they always made people feel welcome."
Ms Hartigan's family has started a GoFundMe campaign to raise money for the three family members' funerals and Khloe's hospital bills.
"The situation is utterly devastating and it's going to be a very long road to recovery," Ms Hartigan said.
"But it's amazing to see how the country can get behind a cause."
Fairfax Media
