> At a Glance
> – Lucas Reid, 15, died after his e-bike hit a telephone pole in Devonport, Tasmania on Dec. 31
> – He had survived the 2021 Hillcrest Primary School jumping-castle accident that killed six classmates
> – GWS Giants captain Toby Greene praised the teen’s “resilience and optimism”
> – Why it matters: A community already scarred by one tragedy mourns a second blow to a boy who cheated death once before
A New Year’s Eve ride ended in fresh heartbreak for a Tasmanian family when Lucas Reid, the teenager who miraculously walked away from Australia’s 2021 jumping-castle disaster, was killed in an e-bike crash.
The Crash
Police say Reid was riding on Dons Head Road, Devonport, around 7:30 p.m. on December 31 when his e-bike struck a telephone pole. Emergency crews arrived just after 8 p.m., but the 15-year-old died at the scene.
Investigations are continuing. Officers offered condolences to the rider’s family in a brief statement posted to Facebook.
A Life Marked by Survival
Reid’s name first made headlines in December 2021 when a sudden gust of wind lifted an inflatable castle and several inflatable devices over 30 feet into the air at Hillcrest Primary School. Six children died; Reid was among the injured.
- Hospitalised for weeks
- Reliant on a wheelchair during recovery
- Later met AFL stars, forming a lasting bond with Toby Greene
Tribute From His Hero
Toby Greene, captain of the Greater Western Sydney Giants, remembered the teen in comments to The Mercury:
> “It is tragic news. Lucas was such a great young man and had overcome so much.”
> “His resilience and optimism really stood out.”
The Giants squad last saw Reid at games they invited him to after the 2021 accident. Greene said the club’s players and staff extend their “deepest sympathy to the Reid family and friends.”
Key Takeaways
- Lucas Reid cheated death once, surviving Australia’s worst school-yard accident in decades
- A solo e-bike crash on New Year’s Eve has now claimed his life at 15
- The Hillcrest community-and Reid’s sporting idols-are grieving a second time
Another candle now joins the vigil outside Hillcrest Primary; another family plans a funeral instead of a future.
