Grieving mother pays tribute to son killed in storm tragedy

The grieving mother of a toddler killed when a tree crushed their house has offered her heartfelt thanks to those who risked their lives to save her family.

Two-year-old Eli Marnock died when a huge branch fell on their house at The Patch in Melbourne’s eastern fringe, during a violent storm in February.

His mother, Suzie Surridge, has endured an unimaginable few weeks after losing her little boy.

“I used to always say he’s my sleeping angel, and now he’s my sleeping angel forever,” she told Seven News.

When emergency service workers broke through the wall of his room, they found little Eli had died in his sleep.

“He was just asleep and the pressure came down on him,” Ms Surridge said.

“He would have exhaled and not been able to inhale so it was very instant and very peaceful for him.”

His parents and sister, Nicola, were in another room when the mountain ash flattened the house, and became trapped.

Emergency services had to lift the roof to free the five-year-old girl, who suffered head, chest and leg injuries.

“She’s recovered well,” said Ms Surridge.

“Even Grandpa John who was trapped here for two hours is back on the tools.”

The top floor of the two-storey home, which has been with the Surridge and Marnock families for three generations, was destroyed.

A month has now passed but until the tree can be lifted off the house, there is little the family can do to clean up and rebuild.

Ms Surridge said that while each day is a struggle, she has been overwhelmed by love and support.

“As a collective, I just want to say from the bottom of my heart, the biggest thank you,” she said.