Wife’s tribute after husband killed in Queensland Tesla crash had only just reunited with family in Australia
A father-of-two died just five weeks after the family celebrated buying a Tesla Model Y.
The wife of a father-of-two killed in a fiery car crash has shared a heartbreaking tribute, saying the family had only just reunited in Australia after moving from India to start a new life together.
Emergency crews were called to the intersection of Augusta Parkway and Magnolia Dr in Brookwater, southwest of Brisbane, just after 1.30am on July 19 after a Tesla Model Y left the road, crashed into a tree and caught fire.
Sarath Mohandas, 37, was declared dead at the scene.
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By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.His wife, Sithara Sivadasan, remembered Mohandas as her “best friend, the loving father of our two young children and the sole breadwinner of our family” in a fundraiser launched to help support the family.
“He worked tirelessly to build a better future for us,” she wrote on the GoFundMe page.
The family had been reunited for just two months after Sithara and the couple’s two children, aged 10 and four, moved from Kerala, India, to Australia to join Mohandas.
“I resigned from my secure government job so that we could finally live together as a family,” she said.
“We moved into a rental home in Augustine Heights, filled with dreams of starting a new life.
“Instead, our world has been shattered beyond words.
“In an instant, my children lost their loving father, and I lost my life partner.”
Only five weeks before the crash, the family celebrated buying a new Tesla Model Y.
In a Facebook post on June 13, Sithara captioned a video of the electric vehicle’s delivery: “Welcoming our newest family member home!”
“The kids are already obsessed with the screen, but the Tesla Light Show in the garage definitely stole the spotlight.”
She said the family is now trying to raise money to return Mohandas’ body to his hometown of Thrissur, where he can be laid to rest surrounded by family.
The fundraiser will also help Sithara and the couple’s two children return to India, where their family can support them through the “unimaginable tragedy”.
“No words can express the pain of losing Sarath, and no amount of money can replace him,” she wrote.
“From the bottom of my heart, thank you for your prayers, compassion and generosity during the darkest time of our lives and allowing us to focus on honouring his memory and caring for our children.”
Originally published as Devastating tribute after Tesla tragedy destroys family’s Aussie dream
