EUROA and Longwood are grappling to come to terms with the tragic loss of Cassie Rawlings.
The 18-year-old died after her car crashed into a tree on Longwood-Pranjip Road in Pranjip late on Saturday morning, leaving her family, friends and community members shattered.
She was a deeply loved daughter to Euroa’s Jason and Julianne Rawlings and sister to Zach Rawlings.
Cassie’s aunt, Charlene Cullen, told The Euroa Gazette her niece was fun-loving, always smiling and laughing, and lit up every room she walked into.
“She was a typical 18-year-old girl,” Ms Cullen said.
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“It's heartbreaking, what's happened to her, because she had her full life ahead of her.”
Cassie had been a passionate B-Grade netballer for the Longwood Football Netball Club and also coached the club’s under 11 team.
“She loved kids,” Ms Cullen said.
She had worked at Goodstart Early Learning Euroa for part of this year and was studying a diploma in childcare.
More recently, she worked at Puckapunyal Military Area.
She had been driving from Seymour, back home to Euroa, on the morning of the crash, her aunt said.
LFNC opened its doors on Monday night for the community to gather, support each other and remember Cassie.
“She was a lovely, happy people person,” LFNC president Ricki Shiner told The Euroa Gazette.
“Cassie was with us right the way through her juniors, from the age of 12, and was about to play her 100th game.”
Mr Shiner said she had been great with the under 11s she coached and “just had a beautiful knack with the children”.
He described the sudden loss of Cassie as horrible and unfair.
In a Facebook post just last month, Cassie had said about the under 11s team that she was “so excited to lead these boys and girls again… watching them grow was a blessing last year”.
Her Facebook page is a shrine dedicated to her loves in life: the LFNC, her mum and dad, and having fun with her friends.
Cassie lived in Euroa and had attended Euroa Primary School, Euroa Secondary College and FCJ College in Benalla.
Community members have donated to an online fundraiser for the Rawlings family to take time off work to deal with the loss, started by Cassie’s aunt, Charlene.
Over $15,500 had been raised by Tuesday morning.
Euroa restaurant Amore Pizza & Takeaway had also raised over $1500, matching $750 raised from customers.
A Victoria Police statement on Saturday said the exact circumstances of the crash were yet to be determined.
Euroa Police Sargeant Dempsey Willis said she could not comment on the crash, but urged drivers to be cautious on the roads as the holiday season approaches.
To donate to the fundraiser, go to https://www.gofundme.com/f/in-memory-of-cassie-rawlings.
