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Falkholt sister loses fight for life after horrific NSW crash

Hours after celebrating Christmas, <i>Home and Away</i>'s Jessica Falkholt lost father Lars and mother Vivien , while sister Annabelle died later in hospital.

Hours after celebrating Christmas, Home and Away's Jessica Falkholt lost father Lars and mother Vivien , while sister Annabelle died later in hospital. Photo: Facebook

One of the two Falkholt sisters orphaned and left critically injured in a horror Boxing Day crash on the NSW south coast has died.

Annabelle Falkholt, 21, and her sister, 28-year-old former Home and Away actress, Jessica Falkholt, were critically injured when the car in which they were travelling collided with a four-wheel-drive near Ulladulla.

A hospital spokeswoman for Sydney’s St George Hospital told The New Daily that Jessica Falkholt remained in a critical condition after the fiery crash which incinerated her parents, Lars and Vivien.

Annabelle was flown to Liverpool Hospital in a critical condition but died as a result of her injuries on Friday, police say.

The crash, described as “horrific” by onlookers, occurred on the Princes Highway at Mondayong, about 400 metres north of the Bendalong turnoff and south of Sussex Inlet.

Annabelle’s boyfriend, Jordan Brohier, 21, took to Facebook to pay tribute to the much loved childcare worker.

Along with the sisters’ parents, the driver of the other car, 50-year-old Craig Whitall, also died at the scene.

Police said Mr Whitall had a long criminal history and had been jailed for driving while disqualified.

Mr Whitall was “well-known” to police in his hometown of Ulladulla and had more than 60 offences on his record as well as a number of aliases, police said.

The issue of whether Mr Whitall was on methadone or other drugs at the time of the crash will be part of the coronial investigation.

His criminal and drug use history also came into focus after it was reported he was on his way home from a methadone clinic in Nowra when the crash occurred.

Mr Whitall’s family released a statement to Channel 7 News: “Our hearts are broken not only for our loss but also for the loss the Falkholt family are feeling.”

His son, Shane Whitall, took to Facebook about 12 hours after the crash to post a tribute to his father.

“You showed me a lot in my life more than youl (sic) ever know,” he said.

Home and away Jessica Falkholt

Jessica Falkholt played Hope Morrison in Home and Away for 16 episodes.

At the time of the crash, he was driving with P-plates, having only recently regained his licence.

After the crash, relatives of the Falkholts thanked one of the bystanders, Darien Collier, who pulled the sisters from the wreckage and reportedly used scissors to cut the women free.

On Facebook, Cathy Randazzo, a cousin of the sisters, called Mr Collier “our hero” and said “words can not express how grateful we are”.

– with AAP and ABC

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