An 11-year-old boy has died after being struck by a car while riding his scooter south of Perth, with his mother speaking of her heartbreak – and her gratitude – in the wake of the tragedy.
Michael Judge was leaving a friend’s house on Mandurah Terrace in Mandurah on April 6 when he was knocked from his scooter in a collision with a vehicle. He was rushed to hospital but could not be saved.
His mother, Jaymie Zisson, said she was able to be with her son in his final moments – something she will always be thankful for.
She ran to the scene as a local nurse and a group of bystanders worked desperately to keep Michael alive, before staying by his side as he was taken to hospital.
Among those first to help was off-duty nurse Nicole Jones, who had been driving past when she came across the crash. “There was a lot of blood, a lot of people around kind of not sure what to do,” she said.
“So I just stopped, got out of the car, directed everyone, ‘get him off the road, let’s get him on his back’.
“He obviously wasn’t breathing, didn’t have a pulse, so we started CPR.”
Despite the frantic efforts, Michael could not be revived. Jones said the emotional toll of the moment would stay with her, particularly the anguish of the boy’s parents.
“My thoughts go out to his mum and his dad mostly,” she said. “I don’t think I’ll forget their cries for a good while now.”
Ms Zisson has since paid tribute to those who tried to save her son, singling out the nurse for her determination.
“There’s one nurse — I’d like to thank her very much because she was tired but she wouldn’t give up,” she told 7NEWS.
In a show of remarkable compassion, the grieving mother of four said she did not blame the driver involved, describing the incident as a tragic accident.
“I don’t have any hate,” she said. “I’d like to just meet this person and have a talk.”
The 46-year-old driver of the Mazda stopped at the scene and was reportedly visibly distressed following the collision.
Ms Zisson said the days since her son’s death had also brought financial strain, with the grieving mother setting up an online fundraiser to help cover the cost of his funeral. She said she hoped to take her children to choose small items to place with him before he is cremated, but admitted she was struggling to afford even that. “I don’t have much, I don’t have funds, I don’t have money, I don’t have any savings,” she said.
The Easter holiday tragedy has left a family and community grieving the loss of a young life, as those involved come to terms with a tragic accident that claimed his life.
Images: GoFundMe / 7News
