Tragedy as 13-year-old schoolboy Joshua Pike dies after being hit by a truck in Appin – as his heartbroken family pay tribute to ‘our little fighter’
- Boy, 13, hit by truck, gets off school bus
- Josh Pike ‘fought and fought’ to survive his injuries
- Family tribute to ‘beautiful child’ who donated his organs
A 13-year-old boy who was hit by a truck as he got off his school bus has tragically died as his family paid tribute to the ‘beautiful boy who fought and fought’.
Joshua Pike was on his way home at around 3.30pm on Wednesday, October 11, when a van hit him as he tried to cross a road in Appin, 75km south-east of Sydney.
CCTV footage from a nearby house showed the boy sprawled on the road after the accident.
Josh was treated by paramedics at the scene before being flown to Westmead Children’s Hospital with a fractured skull.
He was kept in a medically induced coma while his family and friends hoped he would pull through.
Family friend Jackie Austin said Josh fought his injuries “with all the strength and energy he could.”
She wrote on one GoFundMe page that the teen “has spent the past week fighting his beautiful little heart to beat the horrific injuries he suffered.”
Joshua Pike, 13, was hit by a van and died from his injuries a week later
CCTV from a neighboring house captured an image of Josh in the road after the accident
“Unfortunately, the injuries were so severe that God decided to take him home,” Ms. Austin wrote.
Josh was described as “a beautiful child who lived life to the fullest.” He donated his organs ‘to enable other children and adults to continue living their lives’.
The fundraiser, which raised $34,620 of its $40,000 target, will now donate the money left over from Josh’s funeral to charity.
Following his accident, local residents called for greater safety measures on the dangerous stretch of road.
The 38-year-old van driver (above, caught on CCTV) was questioned, tested and released without charge
Josh (left, with his mother Leah, and right with dog Zena) was ‘a beautiful child who lived life to the fullest’
With a speed limit of 50km/h, the road is still very busy during peak hours as a corridor for trucks traveling from Campbelltown to the NSW south coast.
Resident Ally Thomson asked ‘how are the children supposed to cross?’ when interviewed by 7NEWS, while Luke Clemens described the aftermath of the accident as “pretty heartbreaking.”
Wollondilly MP Judith Hannan said it has been a problem for decades, adding: “successive governments have told us what they are going to do with that road, and there has been no substantial change in 20 years.”
The 38-year-old truck driver who hit Josh underwent mandatory tests, was interviewed by police and released without charges.
The page for Josh, who lived with his mother Leah and his older sister, says that “it was an honor to everyone who not only knew him, but was fortunate enough to have him in their lives.”
“Josh would absolutely love the love he received right now. All monies will be used accordingly for funeral and other expenses. The money left over is donated to charity.
‘The family would like to express their gratitude for the warm support they have received.
“May your beautiful little strong soul rest in peace Joshua Pike. You are deeply loved and will be missed more than you can ever imagine.”