The grieving relatives of a mother and her two children who died in a horrific car accident have expressed their sorrow over the loss of “three exquisite spirits”.
Katrina Prahastono, 34, her two-year-old son Kai and three-month-old daughter Ivy were in their family SUV when it collided with a cement truck on the Hume Motorway at Menangle Park, south west of Sydney, earlier this week.
The mum and her son were instantly killed. Ivy died 36 hours later in hospital, with her devastated dad Ilham at her side.
The family had been returning home after making arrangements for Ivy’s Aqiqah, a traditional Islamic celebration held to express gratitude for the birth of a child.
Ilham was at work when his Apple Watch alerted him that his wife’s car had been involved in a severe accident.
Ms Prahastono‘s loved ones say their anguish cannot be undone.
“Getting used to his new life (is) like starting all over again,” Ilham’s sister Astrid Wiradilaga told 7 News of her brother.
“He’s lost his world. The love of his life, his perfect boy, his princess – that’s his words,” friend Diana Effendi said.
“I’m distraught. I have lost my best friend, my sister, everything.”
Ms Effendi has set up a fundraiser to help cover funeral costs for his “devoted mother, wife, sister friend” and their two children.
The 48-year-old driver of the cement truck was uninjured and was taken for mandatory blood and alcohol testing.
A statement from the family said they are “heartbroken to announce the sad passing” of a “loving daughter, mother, devoted wife, sister and friend to many”.
An Islamic prayer group announced the mother and son’s death to its members, asking to keep the family in their prayers.
