Tasmania jumping castle tragedy: Mourners gather for Zane Mellor’s funeral in Devonport
Mum makes heartbreaking goodbye speech at funeral for autistic boy, 12, who died in Tasmanian jumping castle tragedy – as his casket is decorated with PlayStation controllers and a poster of his favourite video game
Zane Mellor, 12, has been farewelled at Devonport’s Mersey Gardens ChapelHundreds gathered at the funeral to pay their respects to the ‘adventurous’ boyHis mother Georgie Gardam paid tribute to her first born who she ‘spoilt rotten’His blue casket was decorated with white gaming controllers and sunflowers
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The mother of Tasmanian jumping castle victim Zane Mellor has paid a heartwrenching tribute to her 12-year-old son – recalling how she spoilt 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 gathered at Mersey Gardens Chapel at 10am to say goodbye to the ‘adventurous’ Year 6 student.
Tim Mellor, Zane’s father, was supported by a friend as the pair made their way into the chapel.
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.
His devastated mother Georgie Gardam fought back tears as she read a tribute to her firstborn child, standing near his small blue coffin decorated with white-painted gaming controllers.
Georgie Gardam pictured (centre) being comforted outside Mersey Gardens Chapel, in Devonport, on Thursday before a funeral service to farewell her son Zane Mellor
Zane Mellor (pictured) was tragically killed along with five of his classmates last week after falling 10 metres from a jumping castle blown into the air by a gust of wind at Hillcrest Primary School
‘My baby, where do I start,’ she began.
‘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 Zaney. No matter what the weather, we’re together.’
PlayStation equipment and sunflowers adorned the top of the casket, while a poster of his favourite game – Red Dead Redemption II – was draped over the side.
A heartbreaking slideshow of photos collected throughout Zane’s 12 years of life was played during the service, accompanied by Cold Play song ‘O’.
An avid gamer, his small blue coffin was decorated with controllers and PlayStation equipment
Hundreds of mourners gathered at Devonport’s Mersey Gardens Chapel on Thursday to say goodbye to the 12-year-old
Friends and relatives of Zane Mellor embraced as they arrived at Mersey Gardens Chapel on Thursday
The pictures showed the young boy fishing, gaming, riding on quad bikes with his family, and hugging his younger siblings and relatives.
Zane’s teacher remembered the Year 6 pupil as ‘usually a quiet student who loved to draw’ and whose favourite parts of the day were ‘recess and lunch’.
As the ceremony came to an end, family carried Zane’s coffin out of the chapel and placed it into the back of a white hearse.
Mourners watched on as the 12-year-old was driven away to his final resting place.
Ms Gardham was comforted outside by loved ones who wrapped their arms around the grieving mother as she prepared to say her final goodbye to her son.
Zane (pictured) was remembered as an ‘adventurous’ boy who loved gaming and dinosaurs
Tim Mellor (centre) was supported by a friend as he arrived for the funeral of his son Zane
A group of mourners greet one another shortly after arriving for the 10am service
Hours before the memorial, Ms Gardam penned a gut-wrenching post on social media describing how she was struggling to find strength to be able to get through today.
‘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 and his peers 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.
Two women wrap an arm around each other as they make their way into the memorial
Women hug one another as loved ones prepared to say their final goodbye to the Year 6 student
Tasmania police are still investigating what led to the catastrophe and will prepare a brief for the coroner.
Zane’s farewell comes a day after loved ones said goodbye to Jalailah Jayne-Maree in a service at local parish Church of Christ.
More than $1million has been raised through GoFundMe to be divided between the families of the dead and injured children.
The federal government has also pledged $800,000 for counselling and mental health support to help those affected by the tragedy.
Investigations continue into how the tragedy at Hillcrest Primary School last Thursday (pictured) unfolded
