Wednesday, 4 March 2026

 Ann-Marie HERMANS (South-Eastern Metropolitan) (09:48): On Sunday with my friends Lyndon and Annette Samuel I attended the viewing of Chris Rua Antony, who was tragically struck by a vehicle that veered off Pound Road, and later passed away. Chris was just 16 years old. He was kind, intelligent, photogenic and deeply committed to his Catholic faith. He made tremendous efforts at whatever he did, be it study or sport, and lived by his life’s maxim: it is efforts, not results, that define you. He aced his studies and wanted to be an engineer. Always a grateful kid, he wanted to give back to the community. He had his whole life ahead of him, but it was heartbreakingly cut short while he was returning home from school. This was a tragic accident that may have been prevented had appropriate safety barriers been in place. There is no greater grief than for a parent to lay their own child to rest. Chris’s school and youth group friends are still coming to terms with this terrible tragedy, and it has traumatised many of them. The community around Pound Road are very anxious, as many young families walk their pets and many more walk or cycle there. Today I express my profound sympathies to his parents Antony and Agal, his sister Auxilia and all who loved and knew him. May his legacy be remembered in this place.