Devastated wife reveals croc attack victim's heroic final act
The grieving wife of the 40-year-old doctor who was killed by a crocodile in Far North Queensland has spoken out about her husband's heroic actions in the moments before his tragic death.
David Hogbin, a general practitioner from Newcastle, was holidaying near Cooktown with his wife Jane and their three young sons when he was attacked by a crocodile.
The family of five were walking along an established path on a riverbank when it is believed part of the bank gave way, causing Hogbin to fall into the river below.
“Jane, who was nearby but not walking with Dave at the time, heard the splash and slid down to desperately try to pull him out,” family friend Alex Ward wrote on GoFundMe.
“Due to the steepness and slipperiness of the bank, Jane was able to grab his arm but began slipping into the river herself.”
Jane said her husband was "doing everything right" during the frantic incident, reflecting on his selflessness in his final moments.
“He saved me — his last act was to not pull me in with him,” she told news.com.au.
Hogbin let go of his wife’s arm during the attack, which meant she was able to find safety on the riverbank as he was taken by the crocodile.
“I’m glad I’m still here, because it could have been a million-fold worse for everyone involved, not just the boys,” Jane said.
“I have a lot of comfort in knowing there’s nothing that I’m frustrated or angry about — he was just walking around a corner on a well-worn path.”
Ward said it was a “small consolation” Hogbin’s three young sons did not directly see him being taken by the crocodile.
Jane is now focused on helping her kids get through the tragedy while being determined to keep memories of their father alive.
“I want them to know how dedicated he was as a father — he always jokingly offered to be a stay-at-home dad and never work again, because they were his number one priority,” she said.
“David touched so many people’s lives that everyone deserves to know who he was and how it all ended for him."
“I want to put a face to this tragedy — someone didn’t just get killed by a crocodile, we have lost a wonderful husband, father, son, brother, friend and doctor.”
Image credits: GoFundMe