‘Mothers aren't meant to bury their sons’: Teens tragically killed after car found in river
Tributes have poured in for a teenager who was one of three people killed when a car he was travelling in flipped and rolled into a river south of Cairns.
Braydan Carter-Mathews, 18, and two of his best mates were found dead inside a semi-submerged car on Tully Gorge Road, 30kms west of Tully on Saturday afternoon.
A fourth man, who had been trapped inside, was airlifted to Townsville Hospital with critical injuries.
Police believe they may have been there for 12 hours before they were found by a passing motorist.
A GoFundMe page set up for Mr Carter-Matthews described the tragedy as “every parent’s worst nightmare”.
“Our beloved Brayden has sadly passed away in a tragic accident, at just 18 years old his life has been cut short,” the page read.
“Mothers are not meant to bury their sons, it’s every parent’s worst nightmare, it’s something you wouldn’t wish upon your worst enemy, not a single soul on the planet is prepared for it when it happens.
“Well for Rachel (Brayden’s mother), this nightmare has become very very real. While the rest of the world keeps spinning her world has stopped.”
His devastated girlfriend, Hayley Ackerman, also paid tribute saying she is “absolutely heartbroken”.
“I will never forget you Braydan,” the page read.
Dozens of devastated friends echoed her sentiment commenting on what a beautiful soul the teenager had.
“Such a terrible tragedy for your families and friends and the Burdekin district. Gone far too soon,” one woman wrote.
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