45-year-old father of two Ray Payne with the love of his life, wife Sarah. Ray was killed in a cycling accident on Monday, 2 March. Photo: Dallas McConnell.
Ray Payne loved sport, loved a boogie, loved his friends and most of all loved his wife and kids.
On Monday 2 March the 45-year-old was killed in a crash with a bus while out cycling in Dapto.
His friends have paid tribute to the Stream Hill man whose positivity and generosity lit up their lives for decades.
Dallas McConnell, Andrew Edwards and Ray became friends in their late teens when they all worked at Subway in Wollongong together.
They went on to share houses and more jobs through uni, and built a group of mates so tight-knit their group chat – which now includes spouses – is called ‘Family First’.
Dallas said an early morning message on that channel changed everything for Ray’s loved ones.
“My wife and I had just woken up; she checked the messages and told me, ‘Ray’s dead,'” Dallas said.
“I was just rocked; it was surreal.
“You still think you’re indestructible in your 40s.
“You don’t expect to get that news, especially about someone who is close.”
Andrew said Ray brought an energy to everything he did that made the lives of the people around him better.
Whether it was family, friends, or colleagues, Ray’s kindness and generosity shone through.
“Ray was an absolute legend, a real family man,” Andrew said.
“He would always give his time for his two young boys.
“On top of that he was someone that brought a lot of positive energy and vibes into the world through work, through his love of sport and squash, through being a friend.
“He would give anyone the shirt off his back; he was always the first to offer assistance to anyone in need.
“He always had an aura or an energy that dragged people in in a positive way; he made people feel loved and cared for.”
It was Ray’s love of the dance floor that brought he and his wife Sarah together in the early 2000s.
They met at Rusty’s on a Thursday dollar drinks uni night, and a couple of years later in 2006 they were married.
Now his friends are calling on the community to support Ray’s family as they grieve.
“She was the love of his life, as was he to her,” Dallas said.
“He would always take time out of his life to do something for someone he cared about, so it’s really important we are there for Sarah and the kids.
“We would love to see the community to rally around and support this family who have supported so many others.”
