The grieving high school girlfriend of one of two young men who died when their 4×4 plunged off a cliff on a camping trip has spoken of her “amazing” partner who lived for the ocean and adrenaline.
Geraldton locals Louis Eeles, 22, and Matthew Farr, also 22, were among six friends camping at Little Bay, near Horrocks Beach in Western Australia’s Mid West, when the couple and another mate decided to go out out for a drive early Sunday morning.
Their Nissan 4WD fell 20 to 30 meters down a cliff along White Cliffs Road, shortly afterwards killing the couple and leaving their 21-year-old partner seriously injured.
Eeles’ girlfriend of four years, Kayla Stubbs, took to her Facebook page on Thursday night to write a heartbreaking tribute to the young apprentice tradesman.
Kayla Stubbs (pictured left) tragically lost her high school sweetheart Louis Eeles (right) over the weekend.
“Louis touched the lives of many people in unique and meaningful ways, but above all, he will be remembered as the embodiment of pure joy and enthusiasm for life,” Ms. Stubbs wrote.
‘With a huge heart and boundless generosity, Louis made time for everyone, exemplifying the true spirit of compassion and selflessness.
He approached life with unwavering enthusiasm, working diligently but embracing every opportunity for adventure with open arms.
‘His ability to find beauty in the simplest moments was truly remarkable.
He added that his partner lived for the ocean and adrenaline and was “very loved by everyone.”
‘He would do anything for anyone. And his sense of humor … was infectious, his personality and his love for life made everyone very happy,” Mrs. Stubbs told the Western Australia.
“He was never the type to be sad.”
Mr Eeles had just started his apprenticeship to become a refrigeration technician.
The high school sweethearts were supposed to go camping together, but not before Mrs. Stubbs backed out at the last minute after her classmate asked her to run an errand for him.
“He wanted me to buy him something at the markets,” he recalled.
‘He loved their soaps and aroma diffusers. She liked most of the things that kids didn’t like, but she really took care of herself, she had a better skincare routine than mine.’
Mr Eeles was tragically killed on Sunday morning when his Nissan 4WD plunged off a cliff along White Cliffs Road during a camping trip with his companions.
Mrs. Stubbs was supposed to accompany her high school sweetheart on the camping trip, but instead ran a last-minute errand to buy something for Mr. Eeles “at the markets.”
Mr Eeles was described as his “partner, confidant and rocker”.
“With you by my side, I felt invincible, as if we were embarking on a great adventure together, nothing else mattered,” he wrote in a death notice in the Geraldton Guardian.
The alarm was raised when the remaining campers noticed the trio had not returned and called emergency services, with police, paramedics and fire crews deployed to the scene shortly before 4am to find the crash’s sole survivor, aged 21. years, wandering along the road. .
He was taken to Geraldton Health Campus and flown to Royal Perth Hospital on Sunday night and remains in stable condition with injuries to the spine and neck.
Police and firefighters were assisted by an RAC rescue helicopter to recover the bodies of the two men.
The remains of the Nissan patrol car remained on its roof at the foot of the cliff for several days.
Police had to wait for permission from the property owner for a heavy-duty tow truck to access his private driveway before removing the remains.
Officers from the major accident investigation unit are investigating the incident and a report will be prepared for the coroner.
All factors will be examined, including speed, alcohol and whether the two men who died were wearing seatbelts.
The only survivor of the accident, aged 21, managed to climb out of the rubble (pictured), climb the cliff and walk to the road. He remains in a stable condition at Royal Perth Hospital.