Heartbroken tradie dad of toddler accidentally run over by her mum in the family driveway builds a tiny coffin as a 'last act of love' and begs friends to 'appreciate the air in your lungs'
- A little girl died after she was struck by her mum's reversing car on Saturday
- Aurora Ellis was hit by a Toyota Land Cruiser in the family's driveway in Perth
- Her dad Preston built her a coffin himself as a way to say goodbye to her
- Relived distressing mental images of her lying dead on driveway after accident
- Begged friends to 'not sweat the small stuff' and appreciate their lives
The father of a toddler killed when she was accidentally run over in her family's driveway vows never to take life for granted again.
Preston Ellis built a simple, heartbreakingly-small wooden coffin in his Perth garage as a last act of love for his 19-month-old daughter Aurora.
As he hammered and sanded with tears in his eyes, his thoughts were haunted by mental images of the little girl lying dead in front of him.
Mr Ellis' wife Lara is inconsolable - she was behind the wheel of the family's Toyota Land Cruiser as it backed out of their driveway about 5.15pm on Saturday.
Preston Ellis mourned the death of his 19-month-old daughter Aurora, who was killed when her mother accidentally ran her over in their driveway
The shattered tradie begged friends and family to appreciate the life they have and not 'sweat the small stuff', as it can be gone in a minute.
'Today please breathe, please appreciate the air in your lungs,' he said in a heartbreaking tribute on Thursday morning.
'Please slow down and notice everything the rain drops on leaves the warmth from a cup of coffee. Please hug who you love and hold them so very tight and kiss their heads for me.'
Mr Ellis called Aurora's death a 'bulls**t tragic accident' and detailed the trauma it wreaked on his young family.
'My memories are haunted with images of my baby no parent should have ever seen,' he said.
'I built my lady's coffin yesterday, my last act of love. I'm glad I could but it sucks that I had to.'
Mr Ellis built a simple, heartbreakingly small wooden coffin in his Perth garage as a last act of love, while haunted by mental images of the little girl lying dead in front of him
Mr Ellis said Aurora's death brought life into perspective for him, and promised it would compel him to live a better one.
'Today don't let the smalls**t get to you please, I beg you. I let the some small s**t get to me but now I wont,' he said.
'Love like its your last hug cause like me it just might be. Be good to each other.
'May my Aurora be my aurora in my night sky and yours, illuminating all yours and my darkness. Spread love please not hatred, even if just for one day.'
It is believed the toddler walked out on to the driveway in the eastern Perth suburb of Bayswater but was not seen by the her mother behind the wheel.
Mr Ellis only last September shared a poignant Father's Day post detailing the emotions he felt becoming a dad, and the joy his two little girls brought him.
He praised what his wife went through to deliver his first child Indy, and how Aurora was 'my illumination of magic dancing in the darkest of nights'.
Aurora's dad's poignant Fathers' Day post months before her death
Well, f**k, I'm a dad. I never thought I'd be one. I never thought I'd be responsible enough to look after another life let alone look after me.
When my wife fell pregnant we had only been trying for a few weeks. She told me and my exact words were 's**t hey'.
Responsibility of the the rest of my life came crashing down on me like a jackhammer to my cortex. I was overwhelmed.
The next nine months passed without issue or drama. In a guys eye we are a bit disassociated from it. We see our wife just getting bigger where as the woman can feel the life growing and embrace it fully the good and bad .
The day came and my wife was in agony I cried I was helpless there was nothing I could do to fix her.
She wanted no pain meds do it completely with her own strength. She is a warrior. All you mums are warriors.
Seeing what my beautiful bride went through gave me a new appreciation for women, you are all bats**t crazy but absolutely amazing walking miracles.
It is believed Aurora walked out on to the driveway in the eastern Perth suburb of Bayswater but was not seen by the her mother behind the wheel
Push push breathe push I'm a wuss, I couldn't stand blood guts and gross so I'm standing at the head end.
But I was in total awe so I went down and saw my daughter being born. My wife had turned into a banshee screaming her soul in agony hot and cold so a blanket when she was cold, a wet flannel when she was hot, it was all I could do.
I can fix anything -build a house with my eyes closed but I was useless here and now. My wife was running the gauntlet of hell and I all had a was a wet flannel.
Indy was born I took my shirt off to have skin to skin I was covered in blood and liquid and chunks all sorts but the beauty in that moment is engraved on my soul.
In that moment everything became real, Lara made me a dad, I was a father and it was perfect.
It's an honor to be a dad I am great full, then to be lucky enough to be a second time dad to another perfect happy healthy lil life Aurora my illumination of magic dancing in the darkest of nights.
Happy Fathers' Day, gentlemen, I hope you all have a splendid day, a day you deserve.
Matt Rann, a friend of the toddler's parents Preston and Lara, created a GoFundMe page on behalf of the devastated family.
'Preston and Lara are the most genuine, giving and caring people around and now it's our turn to help them in the most generous way we can,' he wrote.
The fundraising page was launched to ease the financial burden on the family. It has has raised more than $35,000 in just three days.
'This beautiful family need time to mourn and surround each other in love, without having the financial burdens of daily life and work commitments weighing on their minds,' Mr Rann wrote.
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'We are hoping to raise enough money to help them celebrate Aurora's life and help pay the bills so they can grieve together, for as long as is needed.'
Mr Rann referred to Roman Mythology, where Aurora is known as the 'goddess of dawn'.
'May you continue to be light wherever there is darkness, and every sunrise be powerful reminder of your existence for the whole world to see!' he wrote.
The little girl's mum was reversing her Toyota LandCruiser Troop Carrier (pictured) on Saturday
Mr Rann said Mr Ellis described his one-year-old daughter 'the little sun that shines so bright', Perth Now reported.
'She was known as Dad's little tradie assistant, he referred to her as, with her name meaning 'goddess of the dawn,' he referred to her as his little star, or his little sun, that shines so bright,' Mr Rann said.
Western Australia Police said the death was not being treated as suspicious. A report will be prepared for the coroner.
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