A Ballarat mother is living proof of the tragic reality parents of Wednesday's school bus crash could have been facing after she lost her only daughter in a two-car collision this year.
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Norelle Baines is the mother of Alex Baines, a 24-year-old apprentice hairdresser, her only child, who lost her life almost three months ago after she was tragically crushed by an oncoming vehicle at the intersection of Finchs and Greenhalghs roads in Bunkers Hill.
Norelle said while her days were filled with "sleeplessness" and "tears", she was thankful the parents of the students from Loreto College did not have to endure the grief she was currently experiencing.
"I didn't watch much telly that day but when I heard about it I just prayed that those parents got their babies back," she said.
LIFE AFTER DEATH
Reflecting on her life without her daughter, Norelle said she was struggling to live without her "best friend".
"I don't leave my bed. I don't leave the house unless I have appointments," she said. "She (Alex) was my partner in crime, she was everything anyone could have wanted, she was the whole package."
Norelle said the day she found out about her daughter's death was a moment in time which would continue to haunt her. "I remember speaking to her at 4.40pm on the day and at 4.46pm she (Alex) said she was going to meet up with Brad (Alex's friend) and she would be back in a hour but after an hour she didn't come back so I called her and called her and her phone just kept on ringing," she said.
"Alex always calls back and I began to worry because people started telling me Alex was in an accident."
Norelle said she eventually found out the harrowing truth about her daughter's situation through her former partner.
"I didn't know who else to turn to and my ex-partner is friend's with Brad and it was through my ex-partner I found about Alex," she said.
This ordeal has continued to have lasting effects on Norelle, leaving her distraught not only over her daughter death's but also fearful of Ballarat's roads.
"Driving is getting a bit easier but it is something that is still quite hard," she said.
"I'm very anxious on the roads and I'm very alert of cars now especially at this site (Finchs and Greenhalghs road intersection) where cars are usually speeding."
PUSHING FOR SAFER ROADS
Norelle hopes her daughter's death serves as a catalyst to improve road safety at the accident-prone intersection.
"They should implement a stop sign instead of a give-way sign here so people actually stop and take the time to look left and right before moving," she said.
"Also, cars here ending up going so fast and I think they should reduce the speed limit back down to 60."
Norelle said she also believed it would be beneficial to have a speed camera placed at the deadly intersection to ensure speed limits were adhered to.
Linton woman Helina Gordon, who was at the scene of the crash and held Alex's hand as she died, said she backed Norelle's calls for the need for added safety measures along Finchs and Greenhalghs roads.
"They need to make signs more noticeable so people actually stop because everywhere you look people are speeding," Ms Gordon said.
"I just wish I could have traded places with Alex."
DEALING WITH THE AFTERMATH
Norelle said the period since Alex's death had been the longest time she had been without her daughter and although she believed in the saying 'everything happens for a reason', she prayed her daughter's death would result in tangible change to road safety in Ballarat.
"I just want something done about this road because it's bad," she said.
Norelle said next month would be particularly challenging for her as October 10 would have marked her daughter's 25th birthday and the following month would be her 50th.
"I have endometriosis and was told I would never be able to have a baby so Alex was my miracle baby," she said.
"Now I have to live with the fact that she's never going to get married, that I'm never going to be able to walk her down the aisle and I'll never be able to hold my grandchildren."
A cross adorned with flowers and a plush teddy bear have been placed on Finchs road in tribute to the "beautiful" 24-year-old who was due to become a manager of The Stag's salon in November.
- Support is available for those who may be distressed. Phone Lifeline 13 11 14; Mensline 1300 789 978; Kids Helpline 1800 551 800; beyondblue 1300 224 636
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Malvika Hemanth
Malvika has a strong interest in covering stories on welfare, cost of living pressures and the arts. She works on the unceded lands of the Wadawurrung people and pays her respect to elders past, present and emerging.
Malvika has a strong interest in covering stories on welfare, cost of living pressures and the arts. She works on the unceded lands of the Wadawurrung people and pays her respect to elders past, present and emerging.
