Three members of the one family who died during Brisbane’s recent freak storm were emotionally farewelled today.

The storm, one of one of the city’s most deadly, saw five people die on Brisbane roads.

Bernard Thompson reports.

TRANSCRIPT

74-year-old Anthony McDonald, his 39-year-old daughter Tamara, and his five-year-old grandson Tyler, were minutes from home when they found their way blocked off by floodwaters.

They decided to try and drive through, but they never made it, their car was swept away by a raging torrent.

Today their family and friends came together to say goodbye.

Fiona Gradwell, Family friend: “My heart aches for all three of you, Tony, Tamara and Tyler, but I’m glad you’ve all gone together because none of you would have survived without the other.”

Poems were shared, one anecdote followed another.

Rachel Sherlock, family friend: “Mr Tony was besotted with him from the very start. Tyler had his heartstrings wrapped around his tiny little fingers and it was so sweet to see. I’ve never seen a grand-dad so close.”

They remembered their favourite moments together.

Rachel Sherlock, Family friend: “My whole family will miss them all. It’s like a part of our family is gone. I can’t come to terms with the way we lost them.”

This was where the car was swept away in the deluge, three generations lost in one of Brisbane’s worst storms. This terrible tragedy serves as a reminder of the risk of driving through flood waters.

Toys, CDs and flowers now line their final path.

Gone, but never forgotten.

Bernard Thompson, QUT News.