Benjamin Millar
By Benjamin Millar
Friends of a Hillside family involved in a serious crash are seeking public support to help steer them through the recovery.
Mark Esposito and his three boys were on their way home from school recently when an allegedly stolen truck that was fleeing from police crashed into their car on Melton Valley Drive, forcing it off the road and into a telegraph pole.
All four were taken to hospital suffering serious injuries, with Mr Esposito sustaining a fractured spine.
Close family friend Manny Chircop said the crash was a severe blow for the family and follows an earlier road accident that left Mr Chircop in a long coma and fighting for his life.
Mr Chircop said that his friend had lost his successful landscaping business following the first crash and the latest setback was yet another cruel twist of fate.
“Mark has three fractures in his spine, but I think the biggest concern is the oldest son, he hit his head on the windscreen and has numbness right down his side,” he said.
“The youngest has a broken arm between his elbow and the shoulder.”
Mr Chircop said Mr Esposito and the three boys are now back at home after stints in the hospital, but all are in a lot of pain and further surgery may still be on the cards.
In a bid to help the family through what he says has already been a difficult period, he has set up a GoFundMe page to help the family pay bills and put food on the table.
“I had to do something he’s a good mate of mine and it made me sick,” he said.
Another victim of the crash was Mr Esposito’s restored classic car, written off due to the heavy impact.
“We’re part of a car club and that was his pride and joy,” Mr Chircop said.
“Mark has done a lot of work on it himself, it was the last thing he still had left from before his accident.”
The 33-year-old Melton South man driving the truck that was being pursued by police attempted to flee the scene after the crash, but crashed into an embankment near the Western Highway and was arrested by police nearby.
He is facing a series of charges including dangerous driving causing injury, reckless conduct endangering life, unlicensed driving and failure to render assistance.
Mr Chircop said almost $30,000 has been raised to help the family but more donations would be gratefully received. Donations can be made via gofundme.com/esposito-boys-support-fund.
