The grieving mother told 9 News she loved her children “more than [her] life”.
“I think about when the car came to hit us, I wish it hit me, not my babies,” she said.
In an online fundraiser set up for the family, friend Patrick Te said Ram had picked up Katherine from school, with the 5-year-old excited to go home after just receiving an award.
He said Katherine and Harry’s lives were taken in “a split second”.
“I am absolutely devastated … a mother not only lost a child, she lost both of her children, her only two children,” Te said.
Katherine and her brother died in the collision. Photo / GoFundMe
“As I sit here at Westmead Children’s Hospital looking at these two precious souls and their mother, it is extremely difficult to comprehend,
“As a parent myself, I cannot even begin to fathom the long road ahead for both the mother and father. Regardless of who is at fault, their journey to recovery will be incredibly difficult.
“They deserve all the help they can get.”
Te said he started the fundraiser, which has raised almost A$5000 ($6000) so far, to support the family through an “unimaginable” period.
“It doesn’t look like things will get any easier anytime soon … as a community, I pray we can come together and ease some of their burden. Any donation – big or small – will make a difference. Every cent and every dollar counts. they will be forever grateful.”
The youngsters were treated by NSW Ambulance paramedics and rushed to hospital in a critical condition, but they could not be saved.
Several members of the public scrambled to help with the emergency response, physically moving the car to try to free one of the youngsters.
NSW Police Superintendent Tim Calman said the public effort to provide assistance was “phenomenal”.
“We’ve had a number of motorists that have actually stopped and collectively have moved the vehicle on to its side, tipped it over in order to get one of the children from underneath the vehicle,” he said.
“It’s tragic circumstances for the family.”
Helicopter images of the aftermath captured by 7News show a black car on its side on the embankment by the road.
The driver of the car, a 56-year-old man, was uninjured and placed under arrest before being taken to hospital for mandatory testing.
Police said he had since been released without charge, pending further investigation.
The Cumberland Highway was closed for several hours after the crash.
Fairfield Mayor Frank Carbone said the incident was “a tragedy for the community”.
“Two young, innocent lives have been lost … I feel for the mother, I feel for the whole family,” Carbone said.
“It’s something that we can all feel the sorrow for through our own children. Today, the Fairfield community mourns for their loss.”
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