Port Lincoln mother Melissa Little has posted a moving message online, thanking all those who have offered support since the death of her husband and two sons in January.
Damien Little shot himself and his sons, Koda, four, and Hunter, 10 months, before driving off the Port Lincoln wharf on South Australia’s Eyre Peninsula.
He had been struggling with mental illness for some time.
In a message posted on Facebook, Ms Little said the support she had received had been outstanding and she was overwhelmed by people’s generosity.
“I can’t thank everyone enough for the financial contributions … words cannot express how thankful I am and the feeling of gratitude I hold within,” she wrote.
She said money raised to help with her immediate expenses had relieved the pressure of returning to work before she was ready.
“It is positivity that helps make each day for me more bearable,” her post read.
“For those who knew Damien, Koda and Hunter personally, continue to cherish the memories of their happy times and happy faces.
“And for those who did not know them personally please understand how I wish my family to be remembered, the happy, fun-loving times.”
Ms Little said she also had a final message to offer.
“Hug your loved ones tight. Tell them how much you love them and never let them go,” she said.
A coronial investigation is being held into the deaths, which shocked the Port Lincoln community, with local Mayor Bruce Green describing the day as one of the saddest in the town’s history.
AAP/ABC
This post was originally published on the ABC.