Sunrise host Natalie Barr broke down in tears as she listened to murdered mother Hannah Clarke’s closest friends discuss their favourite memories with her.
Ms Clarke, 31, died alongside her three children after her estranged husband Rowan Baxter, 42, set her car on fire while she was doing the school drop off.
After the car caught alight, Baxter stabbed himself and died on the footpath.
As two of Ms Clarke’s best friends paid tribute to their ‘hilarious friend’ and ‘incredible mother’, Barr began welling up.
‘Thank you so much for talking to us, this has touched the nation. Our hearts go out to the whole family,’ Barr said through tears.
Family: Fitness trainer Hannah Clarke is pictured with her children Aaliyah, six, Laianah, four, and Trey, three
Barr choked back tears throughout the interview, describing the murder-suicide as ‘just so sad’
Barr choked back tears as she struggled to pay respect to Ms Clarke’s parents, Suzanne and Lloyd, and said nobody could quite understand their grief.
‘What do you say, its so sad… Its terrible,’ she later said to her co-host David Koch.
Nikki Brooks, Ms Clarke’s best friend of 17 years, said her favourite memory with the mother-of-three was the day she chose to leave her abusive husband.
‘We came back to my place and the kids played. When they went to sleep we got drunk off margaritas and toasted to a fresh start.’
Ms Brooks said ‘by the time they’re abusive husbands, we’re already dancing with the devil and its too late.’
Ms Clarke pictured with her three children before all four were brutally killed by Rowan Baxter
Nikki Brooks (left) and Lou Farmer (right) appeared on the show to discuss their friend and raise awareness about domestic violence
She and Ms Clarke’s other close friend Lou Farmer planned a touching tribute on Sunday, where more than 1,000 mourners turned out to pay tribute to the family.
One of her friends said Ms Clarke ‘loved hard, and laughed every single day’ during an emotional speech.
Ms Farmer said she ‘wasn’t surprised at all’ by the turnout.
‘What happened was absolutely horrific. Even though it was rain and the weather wasn’t great, that’s a reflection of the true impact this has had on all of us.
‘She was just the most amazing mum,’ she said.
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk (left), parents to Hannah Clarke Lloyd and Suzanne Clarke (centre), and Police commissioner Katarina Carroll (right) at the vigil
‘What you saw of photos was exactly how it was. She lived for her kids, she was hilarious. She did everything for those kids and they absolutely adored her.’
The vigil was held at Whites Hill State College in Camp Hill – just blocks away from the murder scene.
Dressed in pink – Hannah’s favourite colour – her father Lloyd Clarke and brother, Nat, thanked the crowd for their support at the vigil on Sunday evening.
‘We would have felt lost without all your support,’ the distraught father said.
‘I don’t know how we can repay such kindness.’
A police officer speaks during a vigil to remember murdered mother. Thousands of mourners attended the event
He described the past week as the ‘hardest of their life’.
‘We may not know you all, but you embraced our family when our whole world collapsed and for that we are genuinely grateful,’ he said.
‘While dealing with this truly difficult time, my family and I are forever thankful to our neighbours and those who were first on the scene who tried to desperately help Hannah and the children.
‘You selflessly and without hesitation did what you could to save them. I don’t know how we can repay such kindness, other than to say we will be eternally grateful. You have restored out faith that there are many good and decent people in the world.’
Community members laid flowers by crosses bearing the names of Hannah and her children at the vigil