Hundreds gather to farewell waterskiing champion Blake Tickell
DARREN Tickell admitted his tireless struggle to accept his family’s loss and even harder challenge of writing something for the funeral after the tragic death of his son Blake in a waterskiing accident.
NSW
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HUNDREDS of friends and family members have gathered to farewell “little legend” and teen waterskiing champion Blake Tickell.
An enormous crowd of mourners packed into the Hub Auditorium at the Hillsong Campus in Baulkham Hills to celebrate the life of the “cheeky bugger”.
Blake, 13, died after crashing in a state title race. He was rushed from the NSW State Titles at Wyangala Dam, southeast of Cowra, to the Children’s Hospital at Westmead with critical head injuries but died on the following day.
Father and “best friend” Darren Tickell gave a heartfelt speech admitting his tireless struggle to accept his family’s loss and even harder challenge of writing something for the occasion.
“Blakey, my little sixpack man, my little legend,” Mr Tickell began. “I’ve been lying in your bed trying to think of something to write about but all I’ve done is cry another river for you to ski on.”
The shattered father said his son was a “manchild” years ahead of his actual age and that he was obsessed with his sport, constantly analysing and comparing himself to professionals
“He was never going to stop doing what he loved. He was so dedicated and determined,” the proud father said. “Simone and I tried to slow him down, but he would just keep training and eating and working towards his goals.”
But as ambitious as the ski champ was, what he liked most about water skiing were the friends he made — a kind of ski race family.
Mr Tickell said that the amazing memories of his son will keep the Tickell family going, but that there was nevertheless a “massive hole” left behind that will never be healed.
Family friend Lisa Hamilton spoke on behalf of herself and Blake’s mother Simone who was too overcome with grief.
Ms Hamilton recounted Simone’s last moments with her son, saying that he had appeared nervous.
“As I pushed the boat out the last thing he said was “I love you mum”,” Ms Hamilton read. “It’s like he knew something might go wrong.”
Ms Hamilton said she believed that Blake and his family’s parting gift was to give four other people life, following the decision to make the generous organ donations.
“I know you have your own personal river up in heaven,” Ms Hamilton said. “Ski forever, and ski fast.”
Lachlan Elder — a member of the Cornelia Ski Park where the Tickell family have been going since the ‘70s — said that it made sense that doctors couldn’t find a donor for the boy’s “big heart.”
“Blakey had such a big heart,” Mr Elder said. “Maybe that’s why they couldn’t fit his heart with someone — maybe they should have given it to racehorse.”
Mr Elder called Blake a “flirt with a twinkle in his eye and said he couldn’t bear to visit the boy in the hospital because he wanted to remember him how he saw him last.
“The last I saw him he was driving through the ski park in his dads car illegally,” Mr Elder said to laughter from the audience. “Most people wouldn’t get away with that but that was just Blakey, a cheeky bugger — like a rat with a gold tooth.”
The Ski Race Kids team lined the stage in a show of unity and commitment to the Tickells in their time of need.
In a heartbreaking moment for many, one of Blake’s friends Nellie gave a speech wearing a corsage, as she predicted that he would have presented her with one for their formal.
The mourners stretched out in an enormous guard of honour from the entrance of the auditorium to the end of the driveway to send Blake off, and fittingly Blake’s hearse was being led down the centre by a speedboat — probably slower than he would have liked.