A father of four whose wife and son were killed in a horror crash in regional Victoria over the weekend is still in a coma, unaware of their deaths.
Paul Kilmister, 44, is in a critical condition in Melbourne's Alfred Hospital after the crash that killed wife Amanda and their 12-year-old son.
The couple's two other sons, aged eight months and two years, are also in hospital.
Doctors on Monday said they hope to withdraw baby Austin's sedation over coming days, and while he has a back fracture, it is not known whether he has any spinal cord injuries.
Victoria Police said a truck was travelling on the wrong side of the road when it crashed into the Kilmister's car on Friday night on the Valley Highway in Brimin.
News that makes sense
Your trusted source for staying up-to-date with the world around you. Get free daily news updates and analysis, straight to your inbox.
The 31-year-old truck driver from Mooroopna has been interviewed and released pending further inquiries.
Ms Kilmister's brother Daniel Gwynne described his sister as a devoted mum who was "incredibly warm and nurturing".
"We've been totally devastated by the events of the past few days ... Right now our families are banding together to rally behind Paul and the boys," Mr Gwynne told reporters outside the Royal Children's Hospital.
Speaking on behalf of both families, Mr Gwynne thanked those who helped at the crash site and also had a message for truck driver involved in the collision.
"Our thoughts are with you ... an incident that happened in a few short minutes will likely affect you for quite some time to come," he said.
"I hope you have the love and support of your family."
The family will now brace themselves to break the heart-wrenching news to Paul when he wakes.
