A soon-to-be dad has died after suffering critical injuries in a tragic e-scooter crash on the Gold Coast, leaving his pregnant wife to raise their daughter.
Stuart ‘Stu’ Jackson, 40, had been riding his e-scooter in Highland Park when a passerby found him unresponsive about midday on Friday.
Paramedics performed CPR once at the scene, but were unable to prevent Mr Jackson from succumbing to severe head injuries.
Mr Jackson’s wife, Kellie, is just a few weeks out from the birth of their first child.
Family Member Leesa Kenyon said the couple had been trying for a child for several years and had recently bought a home together.
Ms Kenyon started a GoFundMe to assist with funeral arrangements and to support Kellie in raising the baby without the help of her husband.
‘Everything is so overwhelming at the moment. We are all trying to stay strong for Kellie in this heart-wrenching time,’ Ms Kenyon told Daily Mail Australia.
‘The accident is one you would never want anyone to have to deal with, let alone being four weeks off having a baby. It breaks my heart.’
Stuart Jackson’s first child with his wife is due in just a few weeks. He had been riding an e-scooter when he suffered head injuries in a crash
Mr Jackson was a popular member of the local Gold Coast community
The GoFundMe page describes Mr Jackson as a ‘fantastic, loyal, caring, hard-working husband… in his prime preparing to introduce his baby girl-to-be into the world.’
‘Words can not describe the heartache of this tragedy for all family and friends.’
A local business owner contacted by Daily Mail Australia said the site of the accident is a ‘notorious bit of sidewalk.’
‘It doesn’t look like much but it’s deceiving,’ he said.
Some years ago, the business owner took his son billy-carting in the area with his apprentice.
He said his apprentice suffered a knee injury after descending the same path Mr Jackson is said to have crashed on.
‘It’s a tight corner… it can be hard once you’ve got all that speed going.’
Paramedics were unable to prevent Mr Jackson from succumbing to critical head injuries
The business owner was not present at the time of the crash, however, his daughter-in-law said she noticed people gathering at the scene.
Queensland Police have urged any witnesses to come forward as investigations continue.
‘Paramedics performed CPR on the rider; however, the 40-year-old Highland Park man was declared deceased at the scene,’ a spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia.
‘The Forensic Crash Unit are investigating the circumstances of the incident and are appealing for anyone who may have witnessed the crash or who has relevant footage to come forward.’
Messages of support have flooded social media since Mr Jackson was identified as the injured person.
‘On Friday, an incredible soul tragically left this world too early,’ a friend wrote.
‘Stu was an amazing person, who could light up a room and was just weeks away from starting his next big journey into fatherhood.
‘Stu has left a giant hole in many hearts and will be missed dearly by all that knew him. He was generous to others, with a heart of gold.’
A popular member of the Gold Coast community, Mr Jackson is said to have regularly given blood and plasma donations.
‘I’m deeply saddened to share that my Brisbane family has suffered an incredibly heartbreaking loss – the passing of their cousin/nephew-in-law just weeks before he was set to become a first time father,’ another relative wrote.
‘These are unimaginably difficult times for [the family] and while life is hard for so many right now, I can’t think of a situation as tough as this, especially at what should have been one of the happiest moments of their lives.’
