'My son's on that bus': Dad recalls moment he realised son had been killed in Hunter Valley crash - 9News

The father of a Hunter Valley bus crash victim has spoken out about the moment he realised his son had been killed.

Zach Bray was one of the 10 wedding guests killed in the horror last weekend, and today his father Adam Bray broke his silence.

Adam drove himself to the crash site after hearing news of the crash, unaware if his son had survived or if he had been taken to hospital. 

Adam drove himself to the crash site after hearing news of the crash, unaware if his son had survived or if he had been taken to hospital.  (Nine)

"We checked all the hospitals, [and there was] no sign of Zach," Adam told 9News.

"I [was] driving from the Southern Highlands ... I'm banging the car door, I'm trying to focus, I'm calling out to him ... so my focus is on Zach.

"When I arrived at the crash I was told to wait for news at a nearby cafe, I absolutely wasn't going to do that."

Adam parked his car nearby and walked up the embankment to the overturned bus before he was stopped by police.

"I just said, 'my son's on that bus', and they said to me, 'if your son is on that bus, honestly you don't want to see him'.

"I just sat on the ground, on my own, and broke down, for an hour."

Today Adam paddled out to sea at Curl Curl Beach with close friends, family and Zach's mother Jackie, to honour their late son.

Today Adam paddled out to sea at Curl Curl Beach with close friends, family and Zach's mother Jackie, to honour their late son. (Nine)

"I never thought that I'd be sitting in the circle with all his mates and my mates," Adam told 9News. 

"He would have been deeply, deeply moved.

"It's overwhelming, it's really incredible. I don't think I could have got through that without that [support]."

Zach had just recently beaten late-stage bowel cancer and was not taking his second chance at life for granted.

"He's a true fighter ... transition from me being his hero to him being my hero," Adam said. 

"It's a shock that I'm never going to get over, that his mum's never going to get over.

"I do want justice."

Zach's teammates from the Singleton Roosters also paid tribute today with a community run in honour of all of the victims.

Local soccer and rugby teams wore armbands last night to pay tribute to the 10 victims.

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https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMirQFodHRwczovL3d3dy45bmV3cy5jb20uYXUvbmF0aW9uYWwvbXktc29ucy1vbi10aGF0LWJ1cy1mYXRoZXItcmVjYWxscy1oZWFydGJyZWFraW5nLW1vbWVudC1oZS1yZWFsaXNlZC1odW50ZXItdmFsbGV5LWNyYXNoLWtpbGxlZC1oaXMtc29uLzBmMTZlODY4LTViNWEtNGJkYi05OTk2LTY2ZTI3MGE4MWQ2ZtIBRWh0dHBzOi8vYW1wLjluZXdzLmNvbS5hdS9hcnRpY2xlLzBmMTZlODY4LTViNWEtNGJkYi05OTk2LTY2ZTI3MGE4MWQ2Zg?oc=5

2023-06-17 08:26:07Z
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