Final act of mum killed in Cambridgeshire lorry crash was to save her daughter's life
Chris Tuczemskyi speaks to ITV News Anglia's Matthew Hudson
A young mother killed in a lorry crash saved her daughter's life by pushing her to safety with her final act, her family have revealed.
Rebecca Ableman suffered fatal injuries when she was hit by the vehicle carrying a crane as she walked to the her local farm shop on 22 September, and died in hospital three weeks later.
The 30-year-old had been walking with her two-year-old daughter Autumn in a pushchair in Willingham in Cambridgeshire, and managed to push her clear of the collision.
Ms Ableman's partner Chris Tuczemskyi said: "From what we've heard... when Becky was hit she managed to push Autumn out of the way so the pram didn't end up effectively being taken by the lorry as well.
"So her last act was essentially to push the pram out of the way so she took the full force."
Mr Tuczemskyi had been on the way home from working abroad when the crash happened.
His last contact with his partner was exchanging text messages about whether they would have fish and chips for dinner.
He and his daughter have set up a memorial at their home, adorned with flowers and photographs of Ms Ableman.
In recent weeks, while mourning the loss of his partner, he has also had to explain to Autumn what has happened to her mother.
"It has affected her," said Mr Tuczemskyi. "She'll cry out in the night for her mummy...which is hard.
"During the day she'll be playing and she'll ask for her or she'll be reading one of her favourite books with her, because they were two peas in a pod, is what we liked to say.
"I don't know where I'd be if they both weren't here," he said.
"Autumn's helped me a lot to deal with this period. If I'm crying she'll come up to me and pat me on the back and say 'Oh daddy, come on.'
"Without her, I don't know what I'd be like."
Following Ms Ableman's death, her family released an emotional tribute to her, describing her as "a beautiful partner, an aspiring sister and a precious daughter," and "the light within our family.
"But most of all, she was the most amazing, strong, and loving mummy to her two-year-old daughter," they wrote.
"Becky’s independence, kindness, determination and beauty will live on through her forever. She will always be her daughter’s superhero. We cherish every moment and memory we had together.”
Mr Tuczemskyi has now launched an appeal to raise for money for the air ambulance service and the neurological critical care unit at Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge - where he said staff treated them like family as they tried to save Ms Ableman's life.
He also hopes to put a bench in the local orchard where she loved to take Autumn, and set up a trust fund for their daughter so that she can travel when she is older, as her mother loved to do.
More than £12,000 has already been raised through a crowdfunding page.
Police are still investigating the circumstances of the crash. A 67-year-old man has been arrested for causing serious injury by dangerous driving and failing to stop at the scene of an accident.
He has been bailed until 9 January.
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