Paramedic killed on way to emergency remembered as ‘loving, devoted father’

Author : Sam Published: January 28, 2019

Posted

January 29, 2019 12:11:04

A paramedic who died while responding to a job in north Queensland yesterday is being remembered as a “loving father, a wonderful partner” and a man “devoted to his family”.

Key points:

Craig McCulloch was responding to a code-1 emergency at the time of the crash
His partner Heather Ball said she was distraught and “will miss him more than we can express”
Mr McCulloch’s colleagues also took to social media to express their heartbreak

Craig McCulloch, 32, was killed when the van he was driving left the road and rolled several times before hitting a tree on Mackay-Eungella Road in Benholme, west of Mackay, on Monday morning.

Residents in the area alerted emergency services to the crash and paramedics worked tirelessly to revive him, but he was pronounced dead at the scene.

Mr McCulloch was working in the Mackay region and had been a member of the ambulance service for nearly a decade.

His partner and mother to his twin children, Heather Ball, said Mr McCulloch was a devoted father who was “an immensely loving partner to me”.

“We are distraught and will miss him more than we can express,” she wrote on Facebook.

Ms Ball expressed her gratitude to Mr McCulloch’s former colleagues in the mining community, who had contacted her family with their kind words and thoughts.

“It’s so wonderful to see you all thought as highly of him as he did of all of you,” she said.

Photo:
Mr McCulloch’s partner Heather Ball said he was a “loving father and wonderful partner”. (Facebook: Heather Ball)

Mr McCulloch had previously worked for Queensland Mines Rescue Service, with colleagues also taking to social media to express their heartbreak.

“Love you, will miss everything about you,” former colleague and friend Dave Ayles wrote on Facebook.

“Best father, brother, son, colleague, friend and paramedic anyone could ask for in this world.”

Another former colleague, Craig Kable, also wrote “farewell to our boy McCulloch”.

“A beautiful soul and friend taken way too early!

“You were the youngest old soul I knew, a book of knowledge and wisdom, a loving father who adored his beautiful young twins and a great mate to all his loved ones.

“You will be missed and your spirit will always live on with everyone who knew you.

“Love ya mate, thanks for touching us all and making our lives brighter.”

Photo:
Tyre marks show where the ambulance left Mackay Eungulla Road and rolled. (ABC News: Angel Maree Parsons)