Social media influencer Ruby Tuesday Mathews has revealed that she is the ex-girlfriend of man whose newborn baby narrowly survived a horror car crash.
Ryan Heywood and Casey King, 25, were on their way home at the Gold Coast on July 25, following an evening playing board games, when their car was struck on the M1 at Bilinga – allegedly by a car involved in a high speed street race.
Ms King was 38 weeks pregnant sitting in the backseat when a Mitsubishi Lancer driven by an 18-year-old P-plater collided with their vehicle from behind.
The couple’s car had been struck with such force that it was completely written off.
Police allege the driver was street racing with another P-plater at speeds of up to 180km/h when both vehicles lost control and hit the side rail.
Ms King was trapped in the car for nearly an hour before being rushed to hospital with a broken back, where she also had to undergo an emergency C-section.
Baby Henry was born unresponsive, but pulled through after he was treated by expert medical staff for blood loss and brain bleeds.
Two weeks on he remains in hospital in a critical but stable condition. It is unknown if he will have lasting injuries.
Mr Heywood was able to escape the wreckage with minor injuries and now his former partner, Matthews, has asked anyone who can to help his new family.
The Byron Bay socialite shared a link to a GoFundMe established by Alivia Nosti, the sister of Mr Heywood’s current partner.
Ms Nosti is aiming to raise $65,000 to help the new parents support Henry as he continues to recover.
All money raised will go towards supporting the parents by ‘allowing them to focus completely on Henry’s recovery and their own healing’, Ms Nosti wrote.
‘Henry was born unresponsive and in a critical condition… He is now being closely monitored and treated [but] remains in a critical but stable condition.
‘Casey and Ryan live over 1.5 hours away from the hospital and are spending all of their time by Henry’s side.’
Ms Matthews and Mr Heywood were formerly committed in a serious relationship and share two children, Rocket and Mars.
The influencer has asked her tens of thousands of followers to help Ms King and her newborn in any way they could.
On Saturday, Ms Nosti thanked everyone who donated towards or shared the page with others after the total amount of money raised hit $50,000.
‘I am completely lost for words. I never imagined this page would reach so many people, let alone that so many of you would want to help,’ Ms Nostri said.
‘These past few weeks have been the most heartbreaking and overwhelming time for my sister, her partner ryan, and my baby nephew Henry.’
Ms Nostri previously told Daily Mail people need to be more careful on the roads.
‘We want to send an important message about the dangers on our roads,’ Ms Nosti told Daily Mail on Friday night.
‘You might think it will never happen to you, but it only takes one reckless decision to change the lives of innocent people forever, just as it has changed ours.’
More than 1,329 people died on the country’s roads in the year to June 30, with 5.3 per 100,000 having died in Queensland, according to data from the n Automobile Association.
The state is also battling a youth crime scourge, including a recent spike in Cairns in the state’s far north.
In November last year, Cairns Police unleashed a week-long operation to disrupt, prevent and investigate youth crime which resulted in 54 minors being charged with 220 offences.