THE Blayney community has pulled together in the wake of a horror crash early on Sunday morning which left six young men injured, one with severe spinal injuries.
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Emergency services were called to the Mid Western Highway at Evans Plains, 15 kilometres west of Bathurst, at 4.15am following reports a utility had left the road and rolled.
The six young men in the car were firm friends, keen athletes and aged between 18 and 21 years old.
The accident left all of them hospitalised, some with serious injuries, with emergency services transporting them to hospitals in Bathurst, Orange and Cowra.
Critically injured Josh Farr, 21, was airlifted to Royal North Shore Hospital in Sydney with spinal injuries.
All of those injured were footballers and played for either the Blayney Rams Rugby Union Football Club or the Blayney Bears Rugby League Club; while some played for both clubs.
Blayney Rams president Craig Gosewisch said Mr Farr, who played fullback and centre, had been a footballer for many years.
Mr Gosewisch said all of the young men were very well known in the Blayney community.
“Most played on Saturday for us and Sunday for the [Blayney] Bears, that’s what it’s like in a small community,” he said.
We’re such a small community and he’s a big part of it.
- Josh Farr's cousin Adam Hamilton
Meanwhile, a Go Fund Me page set up to assist with Mr Farr’s ongoing treatment, rehabilitation and support, had raised more than $28,800 by late Tuesday.
The page was set up by Mr Farr’s cousin, Adam Hamilton, who said he had been overwhelmed by the community’s support since the page was created.
“I know that he’s [Mr Farr] very active in the community, he works here and he plays a bit of footy,” he said.
“We’re such a small community and he’s a big part of it.
“They’re all local boys [the six injured] and that’s the best part of being in a small community, everyone knows them or played against them.”
Mr Hamilton said he was initially hesitant about creating the online portal for people to make donations.
“We weren’t sure about actually doing it, we’ve been trying to give the immediate family, his Mum and Dad, a bit of space because they’ve been going through a lot,” he said.
Mr Hamilton said the immediate families of the injured men have asked for privacy during this time.
To make a donation, visit www.gofundme.com/josh-farrs-recovery-fund.
The driver of the vehicle, a 20-year-old man from Blayney, was charged with a string of offences and will face court next month.
