Brush with death

Greg, 20, was flown to The Alfred hospital.

By Aneeka Simonis

A GEMBROOK family whose lives changed forever after last year’s youth triple fatality in Avonsleigh has again had a brush with death.
This time, it was one of their own whose life was on the line.
Greg Cornelius, 20, had to be cut out of his car and flown to The Alfred hospital with a broken leg, head trauma and bruising after a crash on Belgrave-Gembrook Road, about 4.30pm on Tuesday 30 August.
The P-plater’s father, also named Greg, described the dread in getting the phone call on Tuesday afternoon.
He is calling for all youths to get serious with their safety behind the wheel.
It was only just over 12-months ago his daughter, Tayla, 17, lost her boyfriend Jason Breakwell, and two close friends, Sharn Walker and Felisha Allen, aged 16 and 17, in a horrific car accident in Avonsleigh, at the end of June last year.
“Jason left out house that morning and never came home. Felicia and Sharn were my daughter’s best friends all through primary and high school,” Greg recalled.
“Her whole life has changed now. She’ll never be the same.”
The impact has been so great on the family, particularly their daughter, that they moved to Queensland for a fresh start months after the crash.
But Greg junior stayed behind to finish his third year plumbing apprenticeship.
It was by co-incidence his father was back in town on work when the Tuesday crash happened.
“I look at his car and I don’t know how he is still alive,” Greg said of his son, who is still in The Alfred hospital’s trauma unit.
It appears as if the youth’s car was T-boned by an oncoming car on the 80km/h stretch of road.
Greg senior said daffodils were in his son’s car when he was pulled out.
He said it’s likely his son turned into the right side street to pick some flowers for his girlfriend on his way home, and didn’t see the oncoming car when he looked to turn out onto the road.
“The other bloke would have had no choice. I feel sorry for the poor bloke. No-one wants to run into another car, especially with a kid inside,” Greg said.
“My son … he’s made a near fatal mistake. These kids need to check everything they do with their driving.”
Greg said the night his daughter’s friends died, Tayla was out and he couldn’t get a hold of her.
It was one of the most traumatic experiences he and his family have lived through.
He hoped kids would use better road safety so it never happened again.
“They’ve gotta start being more alert and thinking about their actions.”