THE young man killed in a fatal accident north-east of Bathurst on Tuesday, has been remembered as a “blood good kid”.
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Zachery Baker died at the scene of the accident, which occurred at 5.30pm on Limekilns Road at Limekilns, around 26 kilometres north-east of Bathurst.
He was just 19 years old.
Zachery, who had two brothers and one sister was the son of Tony and Trish Baker, attended Denison College Kelso High campus and was school captain in 2014.
In the same year he was asked to deliver the Anzac Day commemoration address during the city’s official service at the Bathurst War Memorial Carillon.
He began studying at the University of Wollongong in 2015.
He had played with the Bathurst Bushrangers AFL Club for many years and club president Graeme Grundy said players and officials were in shock.
“The club’s absolutely shattered, it’s just stunned everyone,” he said.
“I’ve known Zac since he was a junior with the club.
“He was just a bloody good kid.”
I’ve known Zac since he was a junior with the club. He was just a bloody good kid.
- Bathurst Bushrangers AFL Club president Graeme Grundy
Mr Grundy was clearly emotional when sharing his memories of Zachery.
He said Zachery was kind in nature and helpful to everyone at the club.
“We had a working bee up here on Sunday and Zac’s always the first to volunteer. He was here then,” he said.
“You could ask him to do anything, he’d never say no.
“He was just the type of kid who was going to go somewhere.”
Mr Grundy said many Bushrangers players and supporters met at the club on Wednesday as a mark of respect for Zachery and to support each other.
“We are all absolutely floored by it, just shattered. We’ve lost one of our own,” he said.
There has been an outpouring of grief on social media, where many people left messages of support.
“Unfortunately this young man and his family were known very well to my friends and to my own young daughter. So hard for these young adults to have to grieve at such a sudden loss,” Liz Luisi posted to the Western Advocate’s Facebook page.
“Terrible news. Zac was a lovely guy and a great student. Very sad,” Dave Free wrote.
“Zac was a wonderful young man. My thoughts are with his family and friends,” Diane Poole posted.
“So heartbreaking. Deepest sympathies to his family. Rest in peace Zac,” Katika Wharton posted online.
“My heart goes out to Zac’s family and friends,” Leeanne Hegarty wrote.