He was the mate you'd call if you were in trouble, the doting dad and the guy with the envious lifestyle who travelled the world befriending many along the way.
Former Blacksmiths man and much-loved father of two Bryce Williams, 33, has been dearly remembered after his death in a hit and run crash in Queensland earlier this month.
The tragedy has sent ripples of devastation through the Blacksmiths community and further afield.
After completing his schooling at Blacksmiths Public and Hunter Sports High, Bryce left the Hunter at age 21, spending time in Western Australia and Bali before settling in Queensland's Sunshine Coast, which he has called home for the past three years with his partner Abbey and kids Woodi and Rome.
"Abbey, she's extremely strong," Bryce's brother Mitch said.
"Mum and dad obviously have their days, the same as myself. We're just taking it day by day at the moment.
"It's very tough circumstances to get a phone call to say that your brother and your son's been hit in a hit and run accident.
"I think all of us were numb to start with. Obviously, we didn't want to believe it. But as days went on reality set in that that he wasn't coming home."
With a two year age gap between them, Bryce was as much of a mate to Mitch as he was a big brother.
"He was one of a kind," Mitch said. "He packed more into 33 years than someone would into 100 years.
"He's lived overseas, he's travelled the world. He had his own surf board businesses, he's an electrician. He has a furniture company.
"If you needed anything you went to Bryce. He's a great father. He's a great big brother and he's a great son but most of all, he's a great friend. He's going to be very dearly missed.
It's clear Bryce had a huge impact on the people he met - a GoFundMe page set up to support his young family has raised about $400,000 in just a few weeks.
"It's just amazing. It just goes to show how many generous people there are in this world who want to help Abbey and the kids.
"I even got a phone call off an Indonesian who used to work for Bryce in a surf shop to tell me that Bryce gave him everything because he had nothing before he met Bryce. That kind of stuff just breaks your heart just to know how special he was to so many different people."
A funeral was held for Bryce in Buderim, Queensland, and a local service will take place at 1pm this Friday, September 30 at Swansea Belmont Surf Life Saving Club. It will include a silent auction with proceeds going into a trust for Bryce's children. The family has asked attendees to wear bright smart-casual attire.
