The North Queensland resident was beloved in the small Dimbulah community of Queensland, Australia and was held up as a role model for Indigenous young women after only recently competing in the Miss World Australia pageant alongside other young finalists, including Yolngu woman, Magnolia Maymuru.
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The teenager gained her licence just five weeks before the crash. The Independent reports that Elyse was left trapped in her vehicle for two hours after the crash.
She was airlifted to Cairns hospital in a critical condition before being flown to a specialist unit in Townsville due to serious head injuries.
“Elyse will always be a shining light in the hearts of those who knew her”.
Ms Potter noted that the model and year 12 student’s family were humbled by the support and generosity shown to them since her accident on Wednesday 3 August.
It was only last month Elyse represented Queensland at the finals of Miss World Australia.
“Elyse will always be remembered for her attractive soul, charismatic charm and kind heart”, wrote Miss World Australia organisers “Elyse’s inner beauty truly exemplified her outer”.
A tribute posted by Miss World Australia on Facebook said her “potential was limitless”. News of her death was made public by Katrina Porter, a family friend who set up a fundraising campaign to help the family defray the cost of the 19-year-old beauty queen’s hospitalisation.
‘She encompassed the essence and ability required to become the global supermodel she aspired to be and most importantly her passion and drive to graduate with Honours in Law and help those in need was a tribute to her intelligence and humanitarian heart’.
Current Miss World Australia Madeline Cowe says she befriended Ms Miller-Kennedy during her pageant journey and was in complete shock and that her life was taken too early.
He said: ‘Elyse was driving back from the Mareeba direction and was on the correct side of the road.
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Both tourists survived the crash, however the driver was hospitalised with a leg injury.
