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SUPPLIED Matthew Dale Harris, 22, and his young daughter, Ruby Jane Harris, died after the vehicle they were in was hit by another vehicle on State Highway 6 near Invercargill around 4 p.m. Wednesday. .
A 22-year-old father who died in a fatal accident in Southland with his baby will be remembered as someone with an “amazing nature” who everyone loved, says his mother.
Matthew Dale Harris, 22, and his young daughter, Ruby Jane Harris, died after the vehicle they were in was hit by another vehicle on State Highway 6 near Invercargill around 4 p.m. Wednesday. .
The accident occurred about 150 meters north of the Makarewa Bridge. An oncoming vehicle is understood to have caused the collision when it crossed the center line.
Cathy Harris declined to discuss the accident while police were still investigating, but said Stuff her son was a “nice, respectful and genuine young man.”
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Matt Harris had started his third season working on a dairy farm this year, a job he really liked, he said. He also enjoyed four wheel driving and had recently bought a new ute.
His other passion was family. Cathy Harris said she described him as an amazing, down to earth dad who always wanted to spend time with Ruby.
“She had just learned to say ‘dad,'” said Cathy Harris. It was her first word.
“His face lit up every time he was in the room.”
The smiling and beautiful Ruby was “the apple of everyone’s eye.”
Ruby’s mother and Matt Harris’ partner, Brooke McDowall-Blick, 24, said Ruby loved going in a stroller with her to watch her feed the calves early in the morning.
McDowall-Blick was in the car at the time of the accident and survived.
The couple had been together for five years and both worked as dairy farmers.
McDowall-Blick described Harris as an “amazing father and partner” and said that everyone “loved him very much.”
Cathy Harris said the couple “were rarely separated.”
He would remember his son as someone who made friends wherever he went.
“Everybody loved him. He has so many friends we’ve heard of that they only had fond memories of him and how he was a great partner.
“He was a super special guy.”
Harris had an older sister and four younger brothers.
One of those brothers, Luke Harris, 18, was a best friend and lived with Matt.
He said one of his best memories with his brother was a recent trip to a Highlanders rugby game in early August.
Cathy Harris said her son had a great time on the trip and kept sending people Snapchat photos of how much fun he was having.
Luke Harris said that now he was going to live his life for his brother and niece.
In a statement issued Friday night, police said they expressed their condolences to family and friends.
Investigations are underway to establish what happened.
A teenager in one of the other three vehicles was seriously injured and remains at Dunedin Hospital.
Three other people suffered non-fatal injuries.
Kavinda Herath / Things
The scene of the double fatal accident on Wednesday.
