Nick Dinakis has shared his pain almost one year after a deadly bus crash in the Hunter Valley claimed the life of his “best friend and forever love,” Darcy Bulman.
The 30-year-old Melbourne real estate agent and his girlfriend Darcy were on a wedding bus travelling from Wandin Valley Estate to Singleton on June 11 last year when it crashed while overturning on a roundabout in New South Wales.
Darcy was one of 10 people tragically killed in the crash, leaving Dinakis and 25 other wedding guests injured. Dinakis sustained brain injuries, spinal fractures and lacerations.
Dinakis told The Daily Telegraph on Thursday that he can’t imagine life without Darcy.
“Darcy was and always will be my best friend and my forever love,” he said about the girl he met in high school. “I miss her dearly and the thought of a future without her makes me feel sick.”
A commemorative garden along the Yarra River in Warrandyte will soon be created by Manningham Council in honour of Darcy.
Dinakis said he has a long way to go in terms of recovery and needs intense rehabilitation following his injuries, but added he was relieved to hear the driver of the bus, Andrew Button, had this week pleaded guilty to charges against him.
Button pleaded guilty to 10 counts of dangerous driving occasioning death, nine counts of dangerous driving occasioning grievous bodily harm, and 16 related offences of driving furiously and causing bodily harm to survivors.
The court heard 10 charges of manslaughter were withdrawn and dismissed. A further 25 charges of bodily harm by misconduct were also dropped.
“I’m extremely pleased with the result of the guilty plea from the bus driver,” Dinakis said.
“I understand this isn’t a situation that can appease everyone but it allows myself and the other victims to try and move forward with life.”
Source: The Daily Telegraph
