Beenleigh teen Nehemiah Faleolo tops English class days before dying of brain cancer

The parents of a teen who died after a two-year battle with brain cancer, have told of their son’s dying wish to finish year 11

The cruel reality of COVID isolation was only one of the challenges a southside teen overcame before topping his year 11 English class, days before he died of a brain tumour.

Beenleigh State High School student Nehemiah Faleolo had three wishes before he died – to complete year 11, to return to school and to be buried in a serene spot near his mates at Eagleby.

The Bronco-loving 17-year-old accomplished all three though he had been in isolation at home due to COVID quarantine restrictions, which were relaxed before his death on December 1.

His parents, Ruth and Thom Faleolo, both teachers, said their son desperately wanted to finish his year 11 studies.

In a sad twist of fate, his year 11 report card arrived a week after his death, showing he had three As and two Bs.

Mrs Faleolo, who is also a teacher at Beenleigh State High School, said Nehemiah finished his last assignment before it was due – even though he had lost movement in his right hand and had lost some of his short-term memory.

“A colleague and English teacher at Beenleigh High recently read his English assignment and said that it was of university-level standard, which made him very happy,” she said.

“We brought him back to school for the guard of honour, which was uplifting and inspiring and unusually quiet, considering many of these students can naturally be noisy, but I could see they were being very respectful of my son and the loss.

“There is a high calibre of students and leadership that come out of Beenleigh High and that was shown at Nehemiah’s tribute ceremony.”

In line with his wishes, his hearse was driven through the Beenleigh school on December 4, as more than 1000 people gathered on the oval to pay their respects and form a guard of honour.

Teachers, staff and students paid a silent tribute to Nehemiah, who had made a name for himself across the school as a wise, calm and respected student.

His friends performed a haka dance and read out tributes of his essays as the hearse drove him out of his school for the last time.

It was not just students who poured out their grief.

Teachers comforted Mrs Faleolo, a long-time teacher at the school with a PhD in Social Sciences, who this year started teaching Beenleigh’s Special Education program.

His father, Thom, and his siblings walked behind the hearse on his final journey through the school on Friday, December 4 before he was laid to rest at the Beenleigh cemetery on Yugambeh land.

Mrs Faleolo said Nehemiah had never complained about the COVID restrictions or being away from his friends.

She said to make up for being in isolation, her son filmed a poignant video to farewell his friends and family ahead of the school holiday break-up for Christmas.

Little did his friends or family know, it would be his final goodbye as two weeks later, the 17-year-old would succumb to his brain disease.

“He was so wise and must have realised well before any of us that his time was coming to an end when he made that video,” Mrs Faleolo said.

“It was supposed to be a message to those who were finishing exams – but instead it was his final goodbye to his friends.”

The video, which he shot and edited on his mobile phone, gives clips of him with his friends; dressed to perform the haka; out shopping when he had been expected to be too ill; and driving a Mack truck, after visiting the Brisbane factory.

“Not long to go before summer holidays start but before we go, Beenleigh State High, stay strong to the end, do your best in exams, make the most of all opportunities – I miss you guys, hope to see you soon,” Nehemiah said on the video.

Nehemiah died at home in Beenleigh on December 1 with his family at his bedside and was buried in his chosen spot at the Beenleigh cemetery.

“He was wise beyond his years and I believe he knew he was going to die well before we did,” Mrs Faleolo said.

Hundreds were at the Beenleigh State High School oval to pay their respects to Nehemiah Faleolo, pictured with his school friends and with his parents Ruth and Thom.

Nehemiah Faleolo and his parents, Ruth, a teacher at Beenleigh State High School, and his father, Thom, also a teacher.

“He said: ‘I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith’,” she said.

Nehemiah loved Beenleigh High School and made many friends

His year 11 co-ordinator teacher Steph Sudmalis said Nehemiah was adamant he would complete his senior assessment.

“His goal of finalising his work to the highest standard was a trait that he carried with him throughout his life,” she said.

“He chose not to tell his friends of his final diagnosis, because he wanted them to also embody the school value of ‘we achieve’ during their exams.”

Nehemiah Faleolo was loved by his school community including Deputy Principal George Bartlett, who he emailed when the Maroons won this year’s State of Origin; sitting in a Mack truck after visiting the factory at Wacol; and laid to rest at Beenleigh on Yugambeh land.

Family, teachers and friends flocked to his bedside during his final days, drawn by the video he made to say Happy Christmas.

Principal Matt O’Hanlon said the Beenleigh State High Community supported the family and his mother said she planned to publish a series of excerpts from his diary which shed light on his feelings and musings about the world.

Mr O’Hanlon said Nehemiah was an outstanding student who pushed himself to complete all of his year 11 work to a very high level.

“His many friends at school will miss him. Our thoughts go out to Ruth, Thom and the family.”

into isolation along with losing body movement and