Queensland father dies after being hit while testing e-scooter for his daughter

A Queensland family is grappling with grief and financial uncertainty after a beloved husband and father died from a heart attack, a year after sustaining life-altering injuries in an e-scooter crash.

Isaac Craig passed away in late May, following a year of chronic pain and immobility caused by the March 2024 accident in the Townsville suburb of Heatley. Mr Craig had been testing a new tyre on his daughter’s e-scooter when a driver ran a stop sign and struck him.

Although his family doesn’t directly blame the crash for his death, they believe the stress and ongoing health issues played a devastating role, News.com.au reported.

“It was definitely out of the blue,” said Mr Craig’s stepson, Callum Albert.

“And it’s a shame it happened how it did, especially in his condition. After the accident, he wasn’t living the most fulfilled life. It was quite a disappointing, sad life.”

His wife, Lisa Craig, remembered him as a “fun-loving” father and grandfather who worked as a chef and enjoyed woodwork and spending time with family before the accident.

After the crash, Mr Craig’s condition left him largely bed-bound and reliant on support for daily tasks like showering.

The family applied for assistance to modify their Queenslander home to better accommodate his needs, but the changes were not finalised before his passing.

“He lived in constant pain,” Mrs Craig said.

“We tried to make things easier for him, but it was hard.”

On May 31, Mr Craig suffered a heart attack. A week later, Lisa made the heartbreaking decision to turn off his life support.

Now, in the wake of his death, the family is facing the possibility of losing their home, which was under Mr Craig’s name.

“I’ve got to try and fight to keep it,” Mrs Craig said. Mortgage payments have been temporarily paused while the family works through possible solutions.

Mr Albert, who created a GoFundMe page to help his mother and younger sister, shared that while Mr Craig spent most days confined to his room, he still found joy in small moments, like hearing his grandchildren arrive or chatting with loved ones.

“Watching him slowly deteriorate physically, emotionally, mentally was heartbreaking,” Mr Albert wrote.

“On his really bad days, he would lock his bedroom door because he didn’t want my mum or his daughter to see him like that.”

The family has been overwhelmed by the community’s generosity, with the fundraiser surpassing $3000 — enough to cover Mr Craig’s funeral costs.