Mum makes heartbreaking goodbye speech at funeral for autistic boy, 12, who died in Tasmanian jumping castle tragedy – recalling how he loved Playstation and was obsessed with dinosaurs
The mother of Tasmanian jumping castle victim Zane Mellor has paid a heartwrenching tribute to her 12-year-old boy – recalling how she spoilt him rotten the autistic boy who loved dinosaurs and gaming.
Zane died along with five of his classmates after falling 10 metres from a jumping castle blown into the air by a freak gust of wind during end-of-year celebrations at Devonport’s Hillcrest Primary School last Thursday.
A week later, hundreds of friends and relatives have piled into the pews at local parish Mersey Gardens Chapel to say goodbye to the ‘adventurous’ Year 6 student.
Mourners were told of how the young boy had a fondness for animals and gaming, and was known as ‘Jurassic Zane’ to his online network.
Loved ones have gathered to pay their respects to Zane Mellor (pictured) who was killed in the Tasmanian jumping castle tragedy last week
His devastated mother Georgie Gardam fought back tears as she read out a tribute to her first born child next to his small blue coffin decorated with white-painted gaming controllers and topped with sunflowers.
‘My baby, where do I start,’ she said.
‘I was so young when I had you, only 15, and now I know why. You grew up with me, you held my hand.. You were my man of the house always, my protector, my strength, my gamer.’
‘I spoilt you rotten – Hawaiian pizza, McDonalds… some of your favourites. Everyone told me to get you off that PlayStation but I let you play until your heart was content and your eyes got sleepy.
‘I love you Zane. No matter what the weather, we’re together. I love you Zaney.’
A heartbreaking slideshow of photos collected throughout Zane’s 12 years of life was played during the service, accompanied by Cold Play song ‘O’.
The collation of pictures showed the young boy fishing, gaming, riding on quad bikes with family, and lovingly hugging his younger siblings and relatives.
His heartbroken mother Georgie paid tribute to her first born child and ‘protector’. She is pictured at a memorial outside Hillcrest Primary School last week
Zane (pictured) was remembered as an ‘adventurous’ boy who loved gaming and dinosaurs
Zane’s teacher Mrs Thompson remembered the Year 6 student as a usually a quiet student who loved to draw’.
Hours before the memorial, Ms Gardam penned a gut-wrenching post on social media describing how she was struggling to find strength as she braced to say her final goodbye to her son.
‘Today will be one of the hardest days of my life,’ she wrote.
‘What do I weigh up… the day I lost you or the day I put you to rest. I’m not sure.
‘Mummy loves you zane , I know you are with me already, I don’t know where I have pulled this strength from but I say it must be from you.’
Zane, Addison Stewart, 11, Jalailah Jayne-Maree Jones, 12, Peter Dodt, 12, and Chace Harrison, 11, were celebrating their last day of primary school when their lives were tragically cut short.
Two surviving victims are still fighting for life in hospital with a multitude of injuries, including blunt force trauma, multiple broken bones, and internal injuries.
More to come.
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