THE loss of another young man is being felt throughout Port Macquarie, after medicine student James Kelly was killed in a car crash in east Africa on Sunday.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The 23-year-old was a member of the UNSW Rural Clinical School at Port Macquarie Base Hospital. He was undertaking a six-week placement in Tanzania at the time of the crash. It is believed he was working in obstetrics and maternity care, areas in which he hoped to later specialise.
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade confirmed a young NSW man died in Tanzania "from causes yet to be determined" on the weekend.
Head of campus Sandy McColl said it is "cruel" that James' fellow medical students will be unable to gather together to mourn the popular young student. Most of James' fifth-year classmates are currently on clinical placements away from the Rural Clinical School's Port Macquarie base, Dr McColl said. As such, they will be relying on information supplied by others and the remote support of their classmates and teachers during the difficult days ahead.
"One of the very sad things in all of this is that many of James' friends are away and all about right now," Dr McColl said. "Grieving for their friend - who was our student and friend - becomes so much harder. As deeply as we all feel, and as deeply as we are all hurting, we cannot begin to imagine what his poor family is going through right now."
Mr Kelly was raised in Tumut and moved to Port Macquarie for the fourth year of his degree. He later said that, while he enjoyed his time studying in Sydney, he preferred the opportunities and lifestyle available in regional areas.
The futility of the tragedy was captured by Father David Strong, who instructed James in religion and geography and led Wednesday's service at Riverview.
"It's such a dreadful waste. He applied himself and was a hard working lad. He wanted to work in rural medicine having come from the country," he said.
The president of the Old Ignatians' Union, Tim Gavan, said the public service celebrated the altruism which coursed through James.
"I'm saddened by the tragic loss of James Kelly, and from what I understand he was indeed a man for others, working with the poor and marginalised in Tanzania," Mr Gavan said.
"On behalf of the Old Ignatians' Union, our hearts and prayers go out to the Kelly family and I will put all the resources of the union into play to help in any way we can."
James' friends took to his personal Facebook page this week to express their sorrow. He was remembered for his smile, selflessness and dedication to his family through many posts on the page.
