Lian Rong Xia, known as Mack, passed away at St Vincent’s Hospital at 3am yesterday when his life support machine was turned off.

Sadly, all attempts to have his parents brought from China failed although several of his friends and wife Daisy were by his side.

Mack, a 31-year-old welder, received critical head injuries while working on the production line at Byrne Trailers on Hammond Avenue in Wagga last Tuesday.

He was airlifted to St Vincent’s Hospital where he remained on life support until yesterday. Doctors gave him no chance of recovering.

Byrne Trailer’s owner Mick Byrne said it was unfortunate Mack’s parents could not get to Australia to see their son before he died.

He said their rural locality and bureaucracy within the Chinese embassy meant they were unable to get here in time.

“It was very difficult to contact them (Mack’s mother and father) and very difficult to get them passports but not on behalf of the Australian government. They might still come however,” Mr Byrne said.

“We did our very best to try and facilitate it. It was very difficult with the language barrier. Daisy speaks no English.

For the past eight days, Daisy had maintained a bedside vigil along with two of Mack’s friends.

They were expected to arrive home in Wagga last night ahead of a meeting with the Department of Immigration today.

“It’s been a very difficult time for all of us with the language and cultural barriers. Daisy and Mack’s friends were hoping against hope the doctors were wrong. He was kept on life support as long as they possibly could – longer than usual, from my understanding,” Mr Byrne said.

Mack started work in Wagga in May last year. He was one of the first in an intake of Chinese workers to join the company on a 457 visa.

Funeral arrangements are not yet known.