In the depths of their grief, the family of 14-year-old Bryson Dimovski have been comforted by a community who loved their son almost as much as them.
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Andrew and Melissa Dimovski spent several hours by the side of Macquarie Road, Warners Bay on Sunday where their son was killed on Friday night in an alleged hit and run incident.
They were joined by friends from far and wide who created a makeshift memorial adorned with flowers and cards in tribute to the young man with a "heart of gold".
"All the kids are in shock, they loved him. They were hugging me. They can't comprehend what's happened," Mr Dimovski said.
"I can't describe our pain, but they have been a great comfort."
They were the same friends who joined Bryson's family in a desperate search after he failed to return home by 6pm.
Their worst fears were realised when his body was found on a grass verge several hours after he was fatally struck while riding an electric scooter.
"We really just want to thank the kids and their parents," Ms Dimovski said.
"They were out looking for him and calling out his name for hours. The community support was amazing."
Bryson's parents and older sisters Alisha and Emily remembered a charismatic, mature young man who always had a twinkle in his eye.
From meteorology to computers, the Year 8 Warners Bay High School student had a broad range of interests and had indicated an interest in pursuing a career as an architect or engineer.
"He loved the weather, his geography teacher told me he had an exceptional knowledge of meteorology," Ms Dimovski said.
"He also read the Newcastle Herald every morning and we would talk about the new developments and latest plans for Newcastle.
"He would rebuild computers that he would get from council pickups. He was a very cluey and hands-on kid."
Among the items left at the crash scene on Sunday was a small wooden see-saw made in woodwork class.
It was a tribute to a young man who was always willing to help his mates.
"Rest easy Bryson. Thankyou for helping me make this. Missing you," the handwritten message said.
Bryson's burgeoning talents developed quickly in the workshop that he created in the family's garage.
"His mates would come over after school to watch him and help him. He always had a project on the go; he'd finish one and start another one," Mr Dimovski said.
"He ruined the driveway and put a hole in the garage wall but I didn't care because he was doing what he loved. That's Bryson. I didn't care about the materialistic stuff because he gave us so much joy."
His mother recalled her son insisting that they help a homeless man they saw on the streets of Sydney last year.
"We saw this homeless person begging. He said 'Mum have you got some notes or something. We need to help this person, they are down on their luck," she said.
"That was at 13 years of age, he was wanting to help people less well off than him. He was just so generous."
The circumstances of the accident remain under investigation.
A 21-year-old man has been charged with dangerous driving occasioning death. He is due to appear in Belmont Court on September 13.
Bryson's parents believed their son may have been travelling to meet friends at the Warners Bay Ice Skating Stadium when he was hit.
"We are not 100 per cent certain (of all the details) but he had to be home before 6pm," Mr Dimovski said.
"(When he didn't come home) that's when we got concerned because he normally would have called us. He didn't because he was lying dead on the side of the road."
Ms Dimovski said her son was always respectful of directions.
"He did sometimes push the boundaries. He wasn't a perfect kid; he was a teenager. But he was pretty good at coming home when he was asked to. When he wasn't home by 6.15 I knew something was really wrong."
Police said Lake Macquarie City Council has introduced a speed reduction zone around the crash site on Macquarie Road for safety reasons, as large numbers of people attend the site to pay tribute to Bryson.
Motorists have been urged to slow down near the site and be aware of people walking near the roadway.
Police Minister and Swansea MP Yasmin Catley said an investigation into the incident was under way.
"Our hearts go out to those concerned. It's a tragic accident and it's being felt right across the community," she said.
"There is an investigation happening and we need to let that investigation run its course. In due course we will be able to provide further information about what happened."
Transport for NSW will also investigate the incident, which has occurred during an electric scooter trial in Lake Macquarie.
"Investigations are under way and we await the finding of those investigations," Transport Minister Jo Haylen said on Sunday.
"I would say this is why we are trialling e-scooters in a very controlled way."
Matthew Kelly
Matthew Kelly has worked as a journalist for more than 25 years. He has been working as a general reporter at the Newcastle Herald since 2018. In recent years he has reported on subjects including environment, energy, water security, manufacturing and higher education. He has previously covered issues including the health and environmental impacts of uncovered coal wagons in the Hunter Valley, the pollution of legacy of former industrial sites and freedom of information issues.
Matthew Kelly has worked as a journalist for more than 25 years. He has been working as a general reporter at the Newcastle Herald since 2018. In recent years he has reported on subjects including environment, energy, water security, manufacturing and higher education. He has previously covered issues including the health and environmental impacts of uncovered coal wagons in the Hunter Valley, the pollution of legacy of former industrial sites and freedom of information issues.
