A husband who lost his wife in the Seaword helicopter crash that also left his son in a coma has emotionally shared his grief.
Speaking with Allison Langdon on A Current Affair, Simon Tadros shared the last moments he had with his wife, Vanessa, and son, Nicholas, before they took off for the tragic flight that ended in disaster.
Mr Tadros revealed that he didn‘t join his family on the flight because of his fear of heights. Minutes after takeoff, he heard a loud noise and saw the aircraft collide with another helicopter before plummeting onto a sandbank, killing four people, including his wife.
“I just gave them both a hug and a kiss and I said, ‘enjoy it…have fun,” he said. “I’ll see you when you get back down’.”
Mr Tadros has now had to come to terms with the news of his wife’s death while his son was clinging onto life.
“I was terrified, I was. I lost my wife. To lose my son as well, that’s my whole life ripped apart, that’s everyone gone,” he said.
Nicholas is now in stable condition, although he will lose his right foot due to injuries sustained in the crash.
Mr Tadros explained to Langdon that the recovery process has been a daily struggle, but he is doing his best to be there for his son. He added that Nicholas is a survivor who won’t give up, despite still struggling on a day-to-day basis.
During the interview, Langdon was visibly emotional as Mr Tadros shared his heart-wrenching story, especially when he recounted the moment he told Nicholas about his mother‘s death.
“That poor little boy... still so fragile,” she said. “It’s just so much for a little boy to go through.”
Mr Tadros shared that he hadn‘t had much time to grieve for his wife, as his sole focus was on his son’s recovery.
He revealed that he informed Nicholas of his mother’s passing, and his brave son is keeping his spirits high as he continues his recovery.
“He broke nearly everything from top to bottom, you know, his arms, his legs, his sternum, his hips, his thighs, his legs, lungs collapsing, even inhaled some of the aviation fuel, so that caused problems for his lungs as well,” he said.
“The only thing I think he didn’t really break was his right arm. How he survived is a miracle.”
The funeral service for Vanessa Tadros was held weeks after the incident at St John The Beloved Church in Mt Druitt, Sydney.
The Australian Transport Safety Bureau continues to investigate the crash, and predicts a final report will be delivered some time between July and September 2024.
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