EXCLUSIVE 

A grandmother has opened up about the ‘relentless’ grief of losing her husband unexpectedly, just months after her twin granddaughters died in a horror crash. 

The seven-year-old twin sisters Riley and Macey died when the car they were travelling in ploughed into a tree on a West Australian highway on February 18 2024.

The girls’ mother Rachel van Oyen, 31, had been at the wheel at the time and was the sole survivor.

The girls’ grandmother, Lisa Lorna Blair, had been grieving the girls’ loss for 10-and-a-half months when her husband Kevin Blair, 56, passed away unexpectedly on January 5.

Mr Blair had suffered a series of heart attacks over a decade ago, and had a stroke in August last year.

The 56-year-old took ill two weeks ago and became ‘very weak and depleted’ before paramedics rushed him to hospital where medical staff attempted to re-stabalise his blood sugar levels. 

‘We thought that would do the trick and then he could come home the next day,’ Ms Blair told Daily Mail Australia.

‘However, right there in the emergency department he suddenly and shockingly went into cardiac arrest.’

Ms Blair explained the tragic heart attack came as a result of Mr Blair’s previous heart issues and the effects of his diabetes. 

She said it has since been confirmed Mr Blair had been living with an enlarged heart.

‘And whilst that makes me cry and smile all at once, I can honestly say that describes him perfectly, he truly had the biggest heart. The person who would do anything for anyone.

‘The way I can wrap my head around this information is that Kevin got ten more years of life than was probably ever expected and he packed a lot into those ten years and gave me the happiest decade of my life.’ 

Ms Blair married Scottish-born Mr Blair in Bali in 2015, and said he spent every day trying to ‘cram as much joy’ as he could into the couple’s days.

‘He was sometimes accused of being a big kid, and he loved that. He looked much younger than 56, had a playful nature and found creativity and fun in all things.’ 

Mr Blair spent years serving the community, initially starting his career in the Australian Army reserve, followed by service with the police in Fremantle, Mullewa and Kalgoorlie. 

Mr Blair later became a respected computing and sales leader. 

The 56-year-old had also carved time out to volunteer in the Kalgoorie SES and founded a community theatre in the region with Ms Blair.

The couple then moved to the Sunshine Coast in Queensland where he continued to volunteer at the SES and in teaching English to Ukrainians amidst the ongoing conflict. 

‘Kevin loved learning extra things beyond his work life and did everything at 110 percent and above,’ Ms Blair said. 

Ms Blair said their home in the Sunshine Coast hinterland – affectionately dubbed ‘Blair Manor’ – felt empty without him there.

‘Kevin made me laugh and smile every day, even through tears. He told me every single day that he loved me, sometimes many times a day! He held my hand wherever we went, loved me, believed in me, praised me in ways no one ever has,’ Ms Blair said.

‘I was truly blessed, and the ache of not having him here to walk in the room and wrap me in one of his hugs is tearing through me right now.’ 

A GoFundMe page has been set up to support Ms Blair, after a separate page was made to help Ms van Oyen less than a year ago. 

‘Lisa has had quite possibly the hardest of years just gone – and now, she is expecting at least another several more very difficult ones to come,’ wrote friend Willow Shanks. 

‘In February 2024, all of our communities, friends and families were rocked beyond belief by the tragic passing of Lisa’s grandchildren Macey and Riley. 

‘Now, in a flash – Lisa experiences tragedy and newfound grief again on top of her existing sadness for her grandchildren, as she now lost the love of her life, her ‘partner in shine’ – husband Kevin Blair on Sunday the 5th (January) unexpectedly. 

‘Experiencing 3 tragic losses inside the space of just 10 months, all of which were so sudden and unexpected, it can be easy for those of us “looking on” to see that she is going to need some grace – emotionally, physically, and financially whilst she works through this.’ 

The page has raised more than $1,500 so far, with a goal of $24,000. 

The twins, who were both wearing seatbelts, were pronounced dead at the scene of the February 2024 crash, while their mother was taken to Merredin Hospital and discharged a few hours later. 

Ms Blair told Daily Mail Australia the tragedy was ‘heart wrenching’.

‘I have two of their soft toys on my bed, which my daughter took from their beds and gave me after they passed,’ she said. 

She recalled the last conversation she had with her beloved granddaughters. 

‘I had a trip planned to see them in late February last year and our last conversation was excitement about that, “Nanny is coming on the plane”.

‘Sadly, they passed before I got there.

‘Losing our beloved only grandchildren at age 7 so tragically was heart wrenching. I struggled terribly for many months as you can imagine. Still do.’

Ms Blair said her healthy lifestyle and excercise regime, as well as mindful practices have helped her through the ‘tsunami’ of grief. 

‘I am grateful for the people around me checking on me and supporting my health and wellbeing.

‘The grief journey is wild and can be relentless. A tsunami. I learnt last year that there is no wrong or right when it comes to grief. No one can judge and no one can decide what you “should” or should not do.

‘Sometimes you want to be with people, other times you want to be left completely alone.

‘I walk in a fog some days and on other days I can sit and get things done in rapid fire, and then I fall apart later.’

The family will farewell Mr Blair on Wednesday on the Sunshine Coast, and he will be sent off in his Blair tartan in a traditional Scottish manner.