September 10th 2024.
More survivors who were left scarred by a terrible bus accident are expected to come face to face with the man who caused the loss of their loved ones. Brett Button, aged 59, is currently awaiting his sentence for dangerous driving. In a reckless attempt to overtake a highway on-ramp, he caused a bus carrying wedding guests to tip over, claiming the lives of 10 people and injuring 25 others.
As the case unfolds in the Newcastle Supreme Court this week, Button has been forced to listen to the harrowing stories of those whose lives were forever changed by his actions in June 2023. His request to attend the court hearing from prison was denied, leaving him with no choice but to hear the impact statements of the victims first-hand.
One of the survivors, Graham McBride, shared his experience of waking up in a hospital bed five days after the accident. He had suffered a fractured neck, ribs, arm, and multiple cuts. But what haunted him the most was the unanswered question of where his wife Nadene and daughter Kyah were. He described it as waking up in a nightmare, unable to come to terms with the loss of his beloved family members. McBride discharged himself from the hospital after 15 days because he wanted to go home and be surrounded by the memories of his wife. He wanted to bask in the scent of her one last time, through the bedsheets and pillows they shared.
Another survivor, Nick Dinakis, spoke out against Button, stating that he not only scarred his body but also broke his heart and mind. His partner and high school sweetheart, Darcy Bulman, did not survive the crash. They had planned to get engaged during their European trip this year. Dinakis held Button responsible for her death, telling him that there is no punishment big enough to ease the pain of the senseless and reckless crime he committed.
The bus crash occurred on a foggy day, and Button was driving at high speed while taking the wedding guests back from the Wandin Valley Estate to Singleton. The bride and groom, Madeline Edsall and Mitchell Gaffney, had just celebrated their fairytale wedding and were now saying goodbye to their guests who had come from different parts of the east coast. But Button's careless driving shattered the joyous atmosphere and turned it into a tragedy.
Button had taken a roundabout on Wine Country Drive at Greta at an alarming speed, and even told some passengers that the next part of the journey would be fun. As he tried to create a party atmosphere on the bus, he made comments like "if you liked that corner, you're going to like this one" and "oh, it's nothing" when passengers expressed concern and asked him to slow down.
Button eventually pleaded guilty to 10 charges of dangerous driving causing death, nine counts of dangerous driving causing grievous bodily harm, and 16 counts of causing bodily harm by wanton driving. As part of a deal, the prosecution dropped 10 manslaughter charges against him. However, this decision has been criticized by many of the victims' families. The tragic accident will always be a painful reminder of the lives lost and the irreversible damage caused by Button's reckless and thoughtless actions.
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