Ashley and Rebecca Clay are presented with an all-expenses paid trip to the Gold Coast by Bali bombing survivor and former AFL footballer Jason McCartney.By Sarah Schwager
A HORRIFIC accident five years ago left a Cranbourne family devastated for life.
However, the Clay and Hoskins household has never been happier after this week two of the children were presented with an all-expenses paid trip to the Gold Coast.
Ashley Clay, 11, and Rebecca Clay, 15, and their mum Ninetta Hoskins will fly to Queensland on Monday to stay in a resort for three days and experience VIP treatment at Dreamworld.
The family had no idea about the trip and was over the moon on Friday when they were greeted by Bali bombing survivor and former Australian Football League player Jason McCartney, who presented them with the trip on behalf of KIDS Foundation.
“The kids have been jumping up and down ever since we found out,” Mrs Hoskins said.
“This will be the first time we’ve been away since the accident.
“It will give us a chance to get to know each other once again.”
In August 2002, Peter Clay was driving his car in Cranbourne with children Jessica, then 12, Rebecca, 11, and brothers Chad, 8, and Ashley, 7, when the car exploded.
Chad died in hospital a month later while the other children were left with horrific burns.
An inquest into the incident heard it was caused by the “dreadful” installation of an LPG fuel system which ignited when Mr Clay lit a cigarette.
Mrs Hoskins has since married Malcolm Hoskins and the pair look after her six children, including nine-year-old twins Amanda and Jake, and Billy, 6.
“I don’t know what I would do without Malcolm. He is such great support,” Mrs Hoskins said.
“And there was no jealousy from the other kids about the trip.
“They said they really deserved it after what they had gone through.”
Jessica, now 16, is intellectually disabled, suffers from an eating disorder and is on anti-depressants.
Rebecca and Ashley have flashbacks to the accident and still undergo surgery and laser treatments to repair their scarred skin tissue.
“They are getting older now and recognise that they are scarred. I just tell them ‘at the end of the day, at least you’re alive’,” Mrs Hoskins said.
“Despite all this we are still quite cheerful and hanging together. All the kids are a great support for each other.”
Mrs Hoskins said the trip was a great Mother’s Day surprise.
“I usually spend Mother’s Day with the kids here and then in the afternoon go to the Springvale Cemetery solo to spend some time with Chad,” she said.
Mrs Hoskins said she could not thank KIDS Foundation enough for all their support, including carer Chris who she said would drive up from Ballarat at the drop of a hat if Ash needed to talk.
“They have become like a second family to us,” she said.
The KIDS Foundation was founded by Susie O’Neill, who said she was delighted that the Clay children would receive the Dream Day experience.
Mrs Hoskins also thanked Jason McCartney.
“He deserves a medal as well for what he’s gone through. I think if he can go through it, so can I,” she said.
