Article
Tasmanians’ outpouring of grief for Hobart family after pregnant young woman’s death
An image taken from Facebook of Sarah Paino with her young son, who has been discharged from hospital.
FRIENDS have shed tears, as have complete strangers, united in their grief and shock at the tragic death of Sarah Paino, the pregnant Hobart woman killed in a late-night, high-speed collision in the city.
But amid the sadness yesterday there was hope.
The miracle baby born at just 32 weeks after the collision that killed his mum is recovering in the Royal Hobart Hospital with his condition upgraded from critical to stable.
Ms Paino’s distraught partner, Daniel Stirling, last night attended a candlelight vigil at the crash site at the intersection of Argyle and Davey streets.
Mr Stirling was comforted by family and friends at the flower-laden shrine.
“This is amazing, I can’t believe all the support,” he sobbed.
The couple’s other son, almost two, has been discharged from hospital after suffering minor injuries.
The family of Ms Paino, 24, is devastated she will never get to meet her baby son.
“Sarah never had the chance to meet her newborn and he never had the chance to be held in her arms or receive a kiss from Mum,” said friend Janice Jones on a fundraising site for the family.
By 1pm today a MyCause campaign had raised more than $146,500 for the family – from 2790 donations.
The campaign, instigated by Mr Stirling’s employer Banjo’s Bakery Cafes, has donations from Australia, the USA, Canada, Holland, the UK, Scotland, Ireland, Europe, Southeast Asia.
It has also been shared on social media more than 29,000 times.