Boy, 14, is left an orphan after his mother dies in a car crash following the tragic deaths of his father and grandmother
- Stacey Singharaj passed away on April 1
- She leaves her son, Bailey, orphaned
- A GoFundMe is intended to support her family
A Melbourne family that has endured years of hardship has been struck by an unimaginable tragedy: the loss of 30-year-old Stacey Singharaj, whose young son has been orphaned.
Having already lost his father and grandmother, the grieving family has now turned to the community to help protect 14-year-old Bailey’s future.
Stacey Singharaj, whom friends describe as “the main character,” had been out with friends at the Pink Hill Hotel in Beaconsfield on April 1 when the car she was a passenger in crashed into a tree on Old Princes Hwy.
Two other passengers were treated for injuries and the driver, a 30-year-old Pakenham man, was arrested at the scene. He has been charged with dangerous driving resulting in death.
At the time of the ‘freak accident’, Ms Singharaj’s 14-year-old son, Bailey, was at the footy with his grandfather eagerly rooting for his team, the Tigers.
Friends of the family say Bailey and his mother were “best friends.”
After her mother’s death in 2015, Stacey Singharaj was ‘the rock’ for her father Singh, younger brothers Jordan and Troy, and Bailey
Ms. Singharaj’s boyfriend of 18 years, Lauren Ross, has since launched a GoFundMe to raise money for funeral expenses and Bailey’s future care following the death of his only surviving parent.
When the duo returned home, the police informed them of the devastating news.
Bailey’s father Zack Nicoll had tragically passed away in 2016.
“Stacey was the one you could turn to for anything, she was someone you always listened to,” Ms. Ross told NCA NewsWire.
“She had an infectious laugh, was the fashionista of the group, and even after all she’d been through, she offered nothing but kindness.”
Ms. Singharaj and her son also lived with her brother and father, the latter of whom was forced to retire after being diagnosed with cancer in 2018.
Bailey and his grandfather Singh (second and third from left) were at the Collingwood v Richmond match at the time of the accident
Stacey Singharaj was 30 years old when she was tragically killed on April 1, leaving behind her 14-year-old son Bailey.
Her mother Donna was diagnosed with motor neuron disease in 2010 and died in 2015, when Ms Singharaj was ‘forced to do the housework’.
Ms. Ross recalls the “open and honest” relationship that Ms. Singharaj and her son shared.
“They were two best friends, they had such a strong relationship,” she said.
“Of course with all the grief that has happened in that family over the years, they’ve had to talk about those big things.
“She was the best mother.”
The family has done their best to support and support each other in the wake of the devastating news, leaning on friends and their local community for support.
Bailey’s father Zack Nicoll tragically passed away in 2016
“We plan to keep Bailey in the family home with his grandfather and uncles,” Ms Ross said.
“There’s an entire village around to make sure everything happens for him.
“He’s a little prankster, but with all the tragedy he’s been through in his life, he holds back.
“We want to make sure Bailey has nothing to worry about financially.”
So far, the family’s GoFundMe page has received 294 donations, raising $30,825 of the $50,000 goal.
Those who want to donate can find the Singharaj family’s page on the GoFundMe website.