Crash claims gentle helper

Gareth Jones-Roberts’ devastated parents Norma and Gareth Jones-Roberts senior.
GARETH Jones-Roberts junior died on Black Saturday doing what he always did- helping others.
As his parents put out spot fires created from falling embers, Gareth went into town to get petrol for the generators.
Mr Jones-Roberts, 48, from Yarra Glen was killed, his father believes,when the car Gareth was driving strayed onto the wrong side of the road and hit a culvert.
“He must have come around the corner and been distracted seeing the smoke and fire thinking it was his home, our home, and that we were there alone. He was coming back for us,” Mr Jones-Roberts said.
Their house survived the fires.
From a young age Gareth became a familiar face in Yarra Glen through his involvement with a community youth club and his talents as a trial bike rider.
His father, Gareth Jones-Roberts senior, who drove him to his competitions, recalled his son’s local fame.
“People used to recognise him in the street and ask him his advice. He helped so many young fellows with their riding,” he said.
When a car accident at age 20 cut short Gareth’s trial bike career his father said it didn’t break his spirit or resilience.
“The doctor said that there was a 95 per cent certainty that Gareth wouldn’t walk again. And he did. He had a limp, but he did walk again,” he said.
Like the constant stream of old Holden Monaros and motorbikes that frequented his parent’s driveway, Gareth rebuilt and restored his life around the permanent damage to his body.
With natural talent and encouragement from both his artist parents, Gareth had featured in many exhibitions and even invented a new method for hanging artwork.
Gareth had recently moved back with his parents after contracting chronic fatigue syndrome and had been developing a collection of jewellery in enamel and copper.
People and animals were a great influence to his art and his mother Norma said Gareth was known to many people in the community and he could always win the trust of the wildlife that frequented their property.
Gareth had also trained his deaf blue heeler ‘George’ through his own method of sign language.
“He was a very kind and gentle person who cared about people and animals,” Mrs Jones-Roberts said.
No date has yet been set for Gareth Evan Jones-Roberts’ funeral.