A tight-knit South Coast community was left shocked and saddened after a tragic car crash on the Princes Highway claimed the lives of a beloved local horsewoman, her partner, and their pet dog.
What added to the heartbreak for the locals was the reality that the accident left her beloved horses, Jack and Angel, "orphaned".
That was the moment the grief-stricken community, located about 200km from Canberra, came together with a single mission - to find a new home for Jack and Angel.
The initiative, named the Bale of Hay appeal, achieved success just a few days ago.
A talented equestrian in her mid-50s and the treasurer of the Cambewarra Pony Club in Bangalee, Donna McKeon was well-known in of the regional horse-riding scene.
"She was an avid trail rider and did team sorting," a fellow pony club member said.
"She was engaged in almost all horse sports and competed everywhere. She was a fun person and she will be missed. Her two beautiful horses orphaned left us all shattered."
Ms McKeon's devotion to her horses was well known across the region, making the future of Jack and Angel a priority for those she left behind.
On the morning of June 10, the vehicle Ms McKeon was driving, with her partner Malcom and their dog Harley as passengers, crashed on the Princes Highway near Mortimer Road at Falls Creek, about 12km south of Nowra.
Officers attached to the South Coast Police District attended and found that a truck and car had collided, blocking the highway.
"Both the driver and passenger of the car died at the scene," NSW Police said.
"Donna was my friend and a local. Malcom was her partner and Harley was her dog that passed away also," a friend posted online a day after the crash.
Another community member, who asked to remain anonymous, revealed that Malcom had only arrived from England the day before the crash.
With no one to care for Jack and Angel, the community stepped in.
"Two local stock-feed businesses came on board to be the hub for donations," a friend of Ms McKeon said of the beginning of the Bale of Hay initiative.
A business in South Nowra got the ball rolling with an initial donation of hay. From there, a promotional poster and a wave of social media support saw the appeal spread like wildfire across the South Coast, drawing in horse lovers and Good Samaritans alike.
The community's generosity meant a permanent solution was found far quicker than anyone anticipated.
"Within 10 days, both horses had new owners," the community member said, confirming that Jack and Angel will remain within the Jervis Bay area.
While the horses have found a home, the community will soon gather to remember their beloved horsewoman, her partner, and their pet dog.
