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A man whose wife and three children were killed in a terrible car accident last week has spoken for the first time about the “abundance of losses” he is feeling.
Josh Powell survived the shock on the A40 near Oxford, but his wife Zoe, 29, and their children Phoebe, 8, Simeon, 6, and Amelia, 4, were killed.
The couple’s youngest daughter, Penny, 18 months, survived.
Zoe Powell and one of her daughters. Photo: Instagram
In a police statement, Powell said: “Before the adventure of raising a family, no one really knows what to expect.
“All the preconceptions of life and what we see in the world around us meant that life as a family man was much better than I expected.
“I was blessed with four wonderful children, whose thirst for life and hunger for adventure kept me busy but in the best possible way.
“As I look to an uncertain future, I reflect on the fun we had as a family, with feelings of sadness that we were interrupted.”
The accident occurred just months after a fire broke out at the family’s Chinnor home in southern Oxfordshire and they were forced to stay in temporary accommodation.
The widower described his wife, who blogged about his family life, as a “dreamer with her head spinning over new things to do or stories to tell.”
He said the couple was “as different as we looked” but “made a great partnership to start a family.”
Paying tribute to his first daughter, Phoebe, Powell called her “her mother’s model” and described how he often “ventured out and explored the world” with her.
The young family had recently dealt with a devastating house fire. Photo: Thames Valley Police
“She was smart and capable of great leaps of imagination – her great Lego creations are testament to this,” he said.
Six-year-old Simeon was an “avid sportsman” and was due to play in his first soccer game this week.
“Simeon was like his father, with a mischievous sense of humor and a desire to see more of the world,” Powell said.
“She shared the good hearts of her sisters and would not be happier than when she knew they were all okay.”
He described four-year-old Amelia as “kind and lively” and said her tenderness and thoughtfulness were “far beyond her years.”
“Her ability to dance and express herself was a real blessing, with a lot of self-confidence,” she said.
At the end of his tribute, Powell thanked those who had “rushed to hug us to support me and Penny.”
“Now we have time to readjust and cry, this is the challenge of the abundance of loss that we feel as a family,” he said.
So far over £ 100,000 has been raised thanks to a JustGiving page set up to support Mr Powell and his daughter.
