Community & Business
18 November, 2022
Community mourns a son taken too soon
The Pittsworth community has wrapped itself around the grieving parents of David Connolly who died after a tragic accident in Dalby on November 1 which also claimed the life of his girlfriend, Brooke Dalton.
“We would not be getting through this without the support of the Pittsworth community. We can’t believe the support we’re getting,” Jane Connolly said.
“Everyone in Pittsworth has been really supportive and everyone in Southbrook has been wonderful.”
A GoFundMe page has been set up to help with the funeral costs.
David and Brooke were travelling home from a Halloween party in the early hours of the morning on November 1 when the car in which they were travelling struck a stationary double B loaded with grain.
Brooke, 23, died on impact while her passenger David lost his fight five
days later in a Brisbane hospital.
Southbrook Hotel owner Vicki Schull, who had known David since he was two and had him working with her for a year, said he was a loved member of the community.
“He was a very well raised young man, anyone you talk to will say that, he was very well mannered,” Vicki said.
”He was sensitive and selfless and caring,” Jane said.
“He was an avid cricketer, cricket mad... he played for Souths, and Central Downs and captained Bowenville in 2017 and 18, he got four centuries in one season.”
He had started early and was playing open grade from around age 12.
He played A grade three years ago for Pine Rivers, travelling each weekend from Toowoomba.
“The last time we saw him, he was playing cricket, for Dalby.”
Jane said David had also been an Irish dancer in his younger years and had made it into the Australian Youth Choir.
The couple had learned of the accident on Facebook and knew the “male in critical condition” was likely their boy.
“From there we just went into nightmare mode.”
The couple said their only son had been an organ donor and his lung, heart and kidneys had been used to help others live.
David was a loving father to four-years-old Lleyton, from a previous relationship.
