The three young sisters who were orphaned after their parents took their lives in separate tragedies two years apart were impressed by the kindness shown towards them.
Aerobics Oz Style TV star and infomercial host Erin Jayne Plummer took her own life in 2022, and her husband Alan died in November last year after his own mental health issues.
Australians have now opened their hearts and wallets to their heartbroken daughters, aged 18, 15 and 10, with friends, family and strangers offering their support to a crowdfunding campaign.
The double tragedy has seen eldest daughter Elani, who has just completed her HSC, appointed guardian of her younger sisters.
The middle sister, 15, now lives interstate during term time after earning a sports scholarship, but the younger sister is now Elani’s full-time responsibility.
TO GoFundMe Started by a family friend to ease the financial burden the girls face after Mr Plummer’s death is now close to raising almost $50,000 for the family.
“Now, as they face a future without both parents, we, their community, come together to provide them with the support and stability they need,” the appeal said.
The friend said the money would go towards “resources to keep going, help with education, emotional support and a secure base”.
A GoFundMe appeal for Plummer’s daughters has almost reached its $50,000 goal. Plummer is pictured with her three daughters.
Elani Plummer had just turned 18 when her father took his life and says she will take on parental responsibility for her sisters for him.
Elani Plummer explained how her father had tried to let her continue her childhood after losing his wife, “when everyone else looked at me like a mother.” Erin Jayne and Alan Plummer pictured on their wedding day
After the appeal reached $41,385 of its $50,000 goal last month, the family friend posted an emotional update on the fundraising page.
“To everyone, thank you very much for your generosity,” he added.
‘It’s incredible to see so many people coming to the aid of three beautiful girls and supporting them as they seek to define their future.
‘I know everyone is grateful and amazed by the generosity you have shown.
“The sheer support is testament to how many have shown their willingness to stand up and support those who need help in times like this.”
Elani paid tribute to the support they had received during a eulogy at her father’s funeral at Macquarie Park Cemetery and Crematorium in December.
But she also admitted that the future was daunting without either of her parents to help and guide her now.
“First of all, I wanted to say a huge thank you to the families who have taken in our three girls for the past three weeks,” she told mourners.
‘We love you guys so much.
“Nothing our family has been through in the last two years could have prepared me for losing my best friend.”
Since Mr. Plummer’s death, his daughters have been embraced by close friends of their parents, who have lovingly embraced the sisters and welcomed them into their homes.
Television presenter Erin Jayne Plummer’s three young daughters have said final goodbye to their late father, two years after their mother took her own life. The eldest daughter, Elani, appears on the far right.
He said the tragic loss had been made even more difficult because of the close bond he shared with his father.
“It made me feel like a little girl when everyone else saw me as a mother or my sisters’ guardian,” she said.
“And I wish I didn’t have to give up that feeling of freedom and childhood, but ultimately he’s the only person I would give it up for.”
Plummer was found dead in Freshwater on the city’s northern beaches on November 10 after failing to meet a friend for a morning swim.
The friend called the police to request a welfare check and officers arrived at the Plummer family home in the same suburb to inform Elani that her father was missing.
His body was found an hour later by a lifeguard at the foot of a cliff on Freshwater beach.
Plummer’s death came two months after he sold the family home in Freshwater, which he and Erin bought in 2002.
Elani was celebrating a friend’s 18th birthday the night before her father’s body was found.
Plummer, who was a beloved TV presenter on Today Extra and Studio 10, also struggled with her mental health before her body was found at the base of the Manly cliff.
Friends said Erin had stopped being her “lively, energetic self” in the weeks before her suicide. “I wish we had found a way out,” said one.
Colleagues at Studio 10 said they would miss their “sunshine” in the studio and that the channel “lost a bit of its shine”.
In addition to her television career, Erin was an accomplished synchronized swimmer who represented Australia at three world championships and won 11 national titles.
But it was her roles in television infomercials for which Erin was best known.
Over the years, he designed everything from massage chairs and exercise programs to slimming jeans and steam mops.