The family of the parents killed in a car crash on Christmas Day have thanked a truck driver who helped and comforted the relative who discovered the horrific scene.
Cindy Braddock, 25, and Jake Day, 28, were killed when their car rolled just a few kilometres from home on a country road in Western Australia's Wheatbelt, leaving their three children stranded for more than two days.
Mr Day's cousin Michael Read said the family wanted to thank an unknown truck driver who helped and comforted the relative who found the crash site on Tuesday afternoon.
The relative had been involved in a frantic search for the family after they failed to arrive at Mr Day's mum's house in Kondinin after leaving Northam about 1am on Christmas morning.
"[The truck driver] was onsite the whole time and was there to comfort the family member," Mr Read said.
"The family is just grateful for him being there. Unfortunately we don't know his name, but we just wanted to say a big thank you.
"We are all grateful there was just that little bit of extra support. It really meant a lot to not just myself but the entire family."
The three children, aged one, two and five, were airlifted to Perth Children's Hospital after being trapped inside the car for 55 hours in hot conditions.
Speaking outside the hospital, Mr Read said the children were physically "doing great" and had been "little champions" following the crash that claimed their parents' lives.
He was not sure when they would be released from hospital, but anticipated it would be within the next couple of days.
"They have got two or three cuts and that's it," he said.
"As a family, we have come together and we just wanted to say a big thank you to not only the hospital staff looking after children … they have spoiled them with toys and clothes and helped us through this hard situation."
He said the family was still trying to come to terms with what had happened but had rallied around the children to help them through this difficult time.
"We are just taking it minute-by-minute at the moment," he said.
"We are handling it the best we can. We are all hurting in different ways but we are just putting the kids first at the moment."
Mr Read also wanted to thank everyone who had contributed to the GoFundMe page, which had raised almost $90,000 by Friday afternoon.
"I was not expecting it, it will be a real help to the kids' upbringing and we want to thank everyone for chipping in and helping out."
The deaths cut deep in the tight-knit country town of Kondinin where the family lived and sparked calls from representatives at the local shire to upgrade Corrigin-Kondinin Road.
Petrol station attendant Nathan O'Donnell, who may have been the last person to see the family alive after they left Northam, said they looked "exhausted" when they stopped in for drinks and snacks.
"[Jake Day] looked exhausted ... he didn't buy a coffee. Then he left, I told him good luck with the long drive," he said.
"Unfortunately, he never made it."
