A NEWLY engaged young man from the Newcastle area has been remembered as cheeky and kind-hearted after he was tragically killed in a crash.
Sam Chrimes, aged in his 20s, died after the vehicle he was driving collided with a tree near the Woolgoolga camp site he had been staying at with his friends and his new fiancée.
Emergency services were called to reports of a serious single-car crash on the Lakes Road just before 6pm on January 5.
Mr Chrimes could not be saved, and his passenger, a 23-year-old man also from the Hunter, was airlifted to a Newcastle hospital with critical injuries.
The "horrific car accident" comes just days after Mr Chrimes proposed to his "childhood sweetheart" during the countdown on New Year's Eve.
"A dream come true for them both and of course she said 'yes'," a friend wrote.
"Five days later Sam tragically passed away in a horrific car accident not far from their campsite."
They had been on their annual camping trip to Woolgoolga, north of Coffs Harbour, at the time.
A fundraiser has since been launched to ease the burden on Mr Chrimes' new fiancee. It had collected almost $28,000 in donations by Tuesday afternoon.
Friends used the fundraising page to pay tribute to "our best mate".
"On the 5th January, late Friday afternoon, the world lost one of the most cheekiest, kind-hearted, adventurous and loving people," the organiser wrote.
"Sam was always such a generous guy who would do anything for his mates."
Mr Chrimes' new fiancée wrote in a heart-wrenching social media post that she would love him with her whole heart forever.
"No words can describe the pain I am feeling right now, you're supposed to be here with me Sam," she said.
"Nine years was not long enough, although they were the best years of my life."
Others also took to social media to remember him.
"Rest in peace mate, you've left us way too soon," one man wrote alongside photos.
"Memories won't be forgotten."
A separate GoFundMe page launched to support Mr Chrimes' mother and family had raised more than $4000.
The 23-year-old man who survived the crash was still being treated at John Hunter Hospital on Tuesday and it's understood he has had to undergo surgeries.
He remained in a serious but stable condition, a Hunter New England Health spokesperson confirmed.
The investigation into how the fatal crash unfolded continues and anyone with information has been urged to contact police.
