Sabrina Lekaj farewelled by hundreds of loved ones at Kidman Park funeral
The family of Sabrina Lekaj have farewelled their sister, daughter, granddaughter and friend, in an emotional ceremony at Kidman Park.
Standing under a cloud of raw grief, the smartly dressed young boy bravely closes his eyes as he gently touches the pink coffin in silent tribute.
Struggling to hold back tears, Pyrrhus Lekaj quietly reflects on life without his “loving and caring” best friend – older sister Sabrina, 20, who was suddenly, and without warning, ripped from his family.
The poignant moment, published with his mother’s blessing, came after the 11-year-old drew immense inner strength to give a powerful eulogy to more than 300 mourners at his sister’s funeral on Wednesday.
Despite dealing with the horrific circumstances of her tragic and violent death – allegedly by her father – Pyrrhus stressed that he and mum Romina wanted to remember the “good times”. They then released 20 white balloons in tribute.
He had earlier spoken to The Advertiser for Sabrina, and his mum, to tell the world how much she meant to them.
He revealed that he spent his final moments with his sister doing her favourite hobby – shopping for “lots of” clothes and shoes – before going to the cinema to watch the British romantic comedy Yesterday.
Her last words to him were: “I love you. I will see you later.”
“My sister was really loving and caring,” he said in the front pew of the Peter Elberg Funerals chapel at Flinders Park, a short distance from the family’s Kidman Park home.
“We always went everywhere together. We used to go to the shops, the park, you name it. She used to tease me a lot but we had fun. She used to make jokes a lot. We used to hang out in each other’s rooms and watch TV together.
“We used to talk to each other about our problems.”
With ambitions to be a doctor or scientist – possibly a physicist – he will now channel her dedication to study.
“She was very smart and always influenced me to become more,” he wept.
“And help me with my studies to become successful in life. That is what she would want.”
Earlier, Pyrrhus and his mum comforted each other as they told mourners, including many from Adelaide’s Albanian community, of her impressive list of achievements.
She excelled at school and university while studying radiology, was an exceptional pianist, loved to shop, spent hours on her phone and partied with many friends.
Her father, Petrit, 49, was absent. He is in custody charged with her murder.
While not referenced in any eulogy, his picture was shown in several family photographs.
Standing with Sabrina’s grandmother – who had flown from Europe – with her arms around her son, property developer Mrs Lekaj warned mourners she would speak off the cuff and “from her heart” as she paid an emotional tribute to her “best friend” and thanked her Adelaide “family”.
As many sobbed loudly in the standing-room-only chapel, she recalled how her young daughter adored her favourite blanket, loved her first days of childcare and school before developing a music passion.
Videos of her incredible feats were later shown.
“I want to remember all the good days and all the good memories,” Mrs Lekaj said.
“ I hope that we all remember the good memories and all the people that have passed away without the chance to say goodbye. There will never be a goodbye, there will be only until we meet again my darling daughter. I’ll always carry you in my heart. I had the privilege to love you as my daughter and all the people that you knew I’m sure are feeling sad.
“But we are feeling happy to have had a chance to know you, although it was only a very short period of life. All the people here … will cherish your memories forever.”
*The Advertiser attended the funeral with the family’s permission
