Parents of Warrnambool's Robbie Morrow have no animosity toward motorist who caused death of their son

It's one of many sentimental items Lois and Herb have to keep their 36-year-old son's memory alive, nearly four years after he died in a car crash at Geelong.

The Morrows said they had no animosity toward the motorist who caused the death of their "bright and beautiful" son.

Robbie was a passenger in a vehicle travelling to a venue in Geelong on Remembrance Day - November 11, 2017 - when Michael John Graham, 35, failed to give way and collided with their vehicle on Barwon Terrace.

Robbie, who was wearing a seatbelt in the back passenger seat, was found unresponsive. He received CPR from an off-duty nurse but tragically died of sudden cardiac arrest.

Police told Robbie's family the scene of the crash was like World War Three, with Robbie's friends running onto the street but collapsing on the ground when they realised what had occurred.

Graham pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing death and drug driving in the County Court of Victoria and was this month placed on a three-year community correction order that included 300 hours of unpaid community work.

In sentencing, Judge Irene Lawson said she was satisfied there were "substantial and compelling circumstances that are exceptional and rare that justifies not imposing a sentence of imprisonment".

Graham was travelling at less than 20 km/h at the time of the collision and had the drug ice in his system, although the prosecution did not allege the drugs contributed to the incident.

The court heard Robbie had a pre-existing heart disease and his likely cause of death was a right atrium rupture in the setting of a motor vehicle collision, caused by Graham's momentary lapse of attention.

Robbie's mother told The Standard her son was a miracle baby, born with a deformed finger and Tetralogy of Fallot - a rare condition caused by a combination of four heart defects.

Lois said Robbie underwent surgery at the Royal Children's Hospital when he was 18-months-old.

"Our surgeon Dr Goh told us: 'If he lives after this it will be a miracle'," she said.

"We had him for 36 years and we'll always be grateful for that."

Seated in their backyard next to a bunch of Robbie's favourite yellow sunflowers, the Morrows reminisce about their beloved son.

They could talk for hours - stories of Robbie's time living in Ireland, his mischievous ways with his nieces and nephews and his ability to have a good time, all the time.

The Morrows said they forgave Graham for the dangerous driving that killed their son.

"We took the view that we could be revengeful but what good would that do?" Herb said.

"(Graham) is a victim of his own actions."

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Lois said accidents happened everyday, including fatal ones.

"We could have been so hateful but Robert was a very forgiving person. It was just the way it was," she said.

"(Graham) has had four years to think about the repercussions of his actions and we know he has his own family and friends. If he were to go to jail, they're all affected as well and after losing Rob, we didn't want someone else absolutely torn apart like we were by losing someone they loved."

The Morrows said they would forever be blown away by how many people loved Robbie.

"The night after he was killed, six or so of his mates came up to our place and they were all just breaking down and Herb and I went out to greet them and we said 'right, where are all the other mates?'," Lois said.

"We got a fire going and we had 48 people out here that night."

Herb said everyone knew Robbie, including the police officer who knocked on their door following his death and the man who directed his funeral.

"He was just mates with everyone," Lois said.

"No matter where I go, and probably Herb is the same, I go for a coffee anywhere and people will say 'your Robbie Morrow's mum! We love Robbie'."

Some years after her son's death, Lois ran into one of his friends who introduced his new child, named after Robbie.

"His mateship shone through all over the world," she said.

Robbie's friends were always a big part of his life, including Rod Smith who was driving the vehicle they were travelling in on that fatal day.

Lois said Mr Smith was a great friend to their son and someone they had the utmost respect for.

"Robbie thought the world of Rod," she said.

Robbie is survived by his parents, his siblings Steven, Fiona and Susan, and seven nieces and nephews who absolutely adored their "Uncle Robbie".

"They miss Robert," Lois said.

"He was their backbone, they just loved him."

Lois said nearly four years had passed but they were still trying to deal with their loss.

She urged people to be careful on the roads and to think before taking drugs.

"Just think of what can happen - jail, lose your licence, community service, or death. It's no picnic," Lois said.

"It can shatter so many lives."

The Morrows said Robbie had a love of sunflowers and anyone that knew him was immediately reminded of him when they saw one.

"They are so bright and beautiful and they flow in the breeze just like him," Lois said.

"He was just a gorgeous soul."

Shortly before his death, Robbie planted sunflower seeds at the front of his workplace Dowell Windows.

Herb said in the months that followed, a bunch of sunflowers grew to nearly six-foot high.

"(Robbie's colleagues) harvested them and brought the seeds to us and those seeds went all around the world," he said.

"They were sent to his friends all over the place, in London, New York. I'm not sure how they got past biosecurity."

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