A Riverina community is remembering a widely loved 23-year-old who tragically passed away in August following a shocking accident as a 'happy larrikin' who could put a smile on anyone's face.
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Rankins Springs' Sam Prince was involved in a single-vehicle crash that claimed his life in the early hours of Saturday morning, August 26, on the Mid-Western Highway.
It is an enormous loss for the close-knit community and for his family and friends who adored him.
Sam was a car and football enthusiast, holding a fourth-year apprenticeship Codemos Machinery in Griffith and playing for the Rankins Springs Dragons rugby league football club.
Club president Brent Parsons said Sam played with the team since 2018.
That year he was able to play alongside his father Charlie and brother Brendon, which Mr Parsons said was a special moment for the trio.
Losing Sam has left a gaping hole in the team.
"We're still trying to process it all," Mr Parsons said.
"Sam was the larrikin of the group, he always had something silly to say to put a smile on someone else's face.
"He could always cheer someone up.
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"It's going to be very quiet without him."
The football club has had the same group of boys play for the last five years, with teammates often going out after games.
"We're all one big family pretty much," Mr Parsons said.
"Without football we had nothing. We would go play football then go back to the pub and have a few beers or a chat.
"It's going to be pretty hard to do it again without Sam."
Mr Parsons said Sam was known for his infectious smile that would make everyone else in the room smile.
"He always had a big goofy smile on his face," he said.
Sam was born in Rankins Springs on his family farm - which he loved - often spending his weekends out there with his family working, fixing things or driving around in the tractor.
"The farm was a big part of his life," Mr Parsons said.
"Something he was always very fond of was fixing stuff and his Falcon ute. He loved fixing up his ute and playing around with it.
"He was always on the farm every weekend fixing stuff or driving the tractor around."
In the wake of the tragedy, the football club and the wider community are coming together to support Sam's family.
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