Max Knight: Father of boy, 5, killed in Father’s Day motorbike tragedy in Murphy’s Creek, Queensland, is still in a coma
Max Knight: Father of 5-year-old boy who died in Father’s Day motorcycle tragedy in Murphy’s Creek, Queensland, still in coma
The father of a little boy who died after suffering horrific 90 percent burns in a motorcycle explosion on Father’s Day is still in a coma, unaware that his son is dead.
Max Knight succumbed to his injuries on Monday after his motorcycle caught fire on Sunday at his family’s property in Murphy’s Creek, southern Queensland.
Max was riding his Yamaha Peewee 50 bike on Father’s Day morning when his dad, Harley, stopped to fill up his tank with a jerry can.
Tragically, a fire broke out, possibly due to the engine being too hot, and both were seriously injured.
Max was flown to Queensland Children’s Hospital where he died of his injuries the next day while his father was still in hospital and unaware of his son’s death.
His mother Emma Whybird revealed in a series of heartbreaking tributes on Facebook that she held him ‘as he passed away’.
Max Knight (above) died around 7am on Monday after suffering burns to 90 percent of his body in a motorcycle accident on Sunday
Max’s father, Harley (pictured together above), suffered burns to 40 percent of his body in the crash and has been in an induced coma ever since. He knows nothing about Max’s death
“My beautiful son, I am going to miss your beautiful smile, your precious hugs, your goodnight kisses, your warm touch,” she wrote.
‘It will never be the same without you, Max. My heart hurts so much when I don’t cuddle you to sleep and read your favorite books.
“I wish you could come back to me, my precious boy. Max, you will always be in mom and dad’s life.
“We love you so much, my sweet little Max, the Knight Rider.”
Harley suffered burns on about 40 percent of his body, mostly on the face, chest and arms.
He is in an induced coma at the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital as doctors wait for his condition to stabilize enough for surgery.
He will not know of his five-year-old son’s death until he is awakened, which is expected to be Thursday or Friday.
Ms Whybird said her heart hurts when she thinks about that conversation.
Max’s grandfather Tennocyte Knight described his grandson as “a good kid.”
Max’s mum Emma Whybird (pictured together above) said she had to ‘hold him while he passed away’
Max (above) was described as a ‘good little boy’ while Ms Whybird wrote ‘You will always be in Mum and Dad’s lives forever’
“He lived life to the fullest, just like his father. It’s been a really tough day for us and we’re just trying to deal with the loss,” he told the newspaper Toowoomba Chronicle on Monday.
“The hardest thing for us as a family was sitting by his bed and doing nothing.”
He described Max and Harley as a close father-son duo.
‘Motorcycles were their life, they loved riding together and they also loved fishing,’ said Mr Knight.