The shattered parents of a teenager injured when the ute he was a passenger in collided with a freight train have made the heart-wrenching decision to take him off life support.
Daimon Pyne spent days in intensive care at Cairns Hospital before he died on Friday.
The 18-year-old had been riding in the white utility when it collided with a freight train the Swallow Road level track crossing on the Bruce Highway, near Cairns, just before 7am on Monday.
Paramedics attended to Daimon and another man in his 30s who both suffered life-threatening injuries and were taken to Cairns Hospital in critical condition.
Daimon’s mother, Renee, said the family finally decided to take her son off life support when it became obvious to doctors that he could not recover from his injuries.
‘Monday morning Daimon was in a tragic accident resulting in our family’s agonising discussion to take him off life support,’ Ms Pyne said.
‘Daimon suffered a catastrophic brain injury that was not survivable.’
Ms Pyne confirmed the news in a GoFundMe update saying ‘Damion passed away peacefully surrounded by family’ and that any funds raised would go towards his funeral.
Daimon Pyne died on Friday after a stint in ICU following a serious crash on Monday
The pair had been riding in a white utility which collided with a freight train on the Bruce Highway at Edmonton, in Cairns, just before 7am
Ms Pyne is hoping to raise $15,000 for her son and his friend who was also in the ute at the time.
‘We have created this GoFundMe to ask for help to fund our beautiful boys send off,’ she wrote.
‘If anyone can help we would be forever grateful.’
Sixty-five people have already donated more than $5,000 to the cause.
Australia’s largest rail freight operator, Aurizon, said the crossing where the collision happened was surrounded by lights and warning signs.
A spokesperson said the train crew were not hurt but that they had been rattled by the crash.
‘Our train crew were not physically injured but understandably have been very shaken by the incident,’ a spokesperson said.
The level crossing remained closed and other services were delayed throughout Monday while emergency services worked to clean up the wreckage.
Police investigations into the incident are ongoing.