THE parents of a boy killed after being struck by a train in Wallace last year say they’re heartbroken for the train driver and don’t blame him for the accident in any way.
Ethan Seccull, 3, died after being hit by the V/Line passenger train on October 3 after straying near the tracks behind his family’s home.
Jon and Michelle Seccull said they had no way of contacting the driver but wanted to let him know how they felt.
“We don’t know who it is, but there’s not a day we don’t think about the poor train driver,” Mr Seccull said.
“The unbelievable torment, trauma and devastation that poor man must be going through must be unbelievable. It’s heartbreaking for Michelle and me, and we’re powerless to take that pain away from him.”
Now focused on promoting organ donation after Ethan’s organs helped save three people, the Seccull family also made an inquiry about meeting the driver. The request was declined.
“People have asked whether we would like to meet the recipients of Ethan’s organs – well, if it happens, it happens,” Mr Seccull said.
“But the person we would like to meet, we don’t want to force it obviously, is the train driver. We simply want to put our arms around him, give him a cuddle, give him a kiss and say, ‘This isn’t your fault … we don’t blame you’.
The couple said the past 10 months had been the toughest of their lives, but their organ donation campaign, and the support from the Wallace community, had helped them through.
Mrs Seccull said her daily responsibilities as a mother also helped. “It’s good we’ve got the kids, because those mornings when you don’t want to get out of bed, they’re standing at the door with a bowl asking for Weet-Bix,” she said. “It makes you get up … you’ve got to get up.”
She said the moments alongside her son in the hospital would continue to haunt her.
“In some ways you do [hate telling the story], because it takes you back to that time,” she said. “The last thing he did, he brought me a flower from outside.”
Mr Seccull said the efforts of the Royal Children’s Hospital following Ethan’s surgery were incredible.
“They brought him back to the room, removed all the medical equipment, put a couch in there and we were able to get that cuddle,” he said.
Mr and Mrs Seccull are considering setting up a foundation in honour of their son.
