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A tragic car crash in Sydney claimed the life of a young man who had been celebrating his 28th birthday just hours earlier. Seamus Duignan was enjoying a night out, attending a concert of his favorite band, when the rideshare vehicle he was in was struck by another car.
Duignan was a passionate fan of heavy metal music. Throughout the evening, he captured videos of the festivities while celebrating his birthday with friends.
Jacob Power, a close friend of Duignan, was supposed to join him at the concert to see the American band Fear Factory perform on Friday night. However, Power decided to sell his ticket at the last moment.
“Had we been at a pub or hanging out at a friend’s place until the early hours, this might not have happened,” Power shared with 9News.
Throughout the night, Duignan sent videos of the concert to Power, sharing the excitement of the event.
“He was having the time of his life, he’d send me like a million videos,” he said.
“I messaged him at 2am and was like ‘sorry I couldn’t come, it looked like you had a good time, where are you at the moment?’
“It said when I woke up in the morning he had been offline for 12 hours – and I was like, ‘That’s not like him’.”
Duignan was being driven by Shoaib Hussain, a 22-year-old international student from Pakistan working as a rideshare driver.
Naseem Naqvi from Auspak Youth Association described the driver, who was also a disability worker supporting his family back home, as “a very kind person” and “very hardworking”.
The blue Camry they were in was hit by a white Audi driven at high speed by Tamati Gilbert in San Souci in the city’s south, killing them both.
Police had tried to speak to the 42-year-old as part of a mental health welfare check but he took off.
His sister Renata Gilbert posted online: “He was a father, son, brother, partner, uncle and friend to many. You are loved and you are missed.”
Police say Gilbert’s actions on the road were incredibly reckless.
Investigators are now examining whether drugs or alcohol, along with excessive speed, played a role in the fatal crash.
Duignan’s family today said “he was so deeply loved, and his passing has left an enormous hole in the lives of everyone who knew him”.
A fundraiser for his mother, who he lived with, has raised more than $30,000.
A tribute came too from the band he went to see before he was killed.
“Our hearts and condolences go out to their family and friends and everyone affected by this loss,” Dino Kazares from Fear Factory said.