Kara Holmes watched in horror as her husband's car plunged off a Sunshine Coast road.

A local hero’s tragic death was a real life “horror story“, and his wife witnessed the entire thing.

Kara Holmes has spoken about the sickening experience of watching her husband’s work truck disappear off the road on Tuesday, and holding his body in her arms as he passed away.

Her partner of 12 years, 36-year-old Dave Holmes, was driving along Kiel Mountain Road near the Sunshine Coast before he fatally crashed into an embankment. Having agreed to drive him to pick up a mini excavator for work, Kara was tracing her husband’s journey home when his truck turned around a corner and vanished.

“I heard a bang and saw a bit of shrapnel.” Ms Holmes told The Sunshine Coast Daily.

Peering down from the road, Kara could see the truck had flipped and thrown her husband from the vehicle, leaving him face-down on the ground nearby.

He was still breathing when his wife reached him.

Heartbreakingly, upon being turned over onto his back it became apparent Dave’s injuries were too severe to perform CPR. By his side, Kara soothed him through his final moments.

“I did (appreciate being there) but I just wished I didn’t see what I saw.

“It was like a horror story that I couldn’t press pause or rewind.”

Dave Holmes was a local hero, having saved the life of a truck driver after pulling him from a burning semi-trailer in August 2011. He was awarded a Bravery Medal by Governor-General Sir Peter Cosgrove in 2014 for his outstanding courage.

It was only recently the father of two girls, Chloe ,17, and Kodi, 12, obtained his truck driving licence. He was due to start working at his new job yesterday.

Mamamia’s deepest sympathies go out to Dave Holmes’ wife, children, family and loved ones.