Luke and Benny Smith farewelled in moving Tongala funeral after horror Gippsland plane crash

Two brothers killed in a horror plane crash with their cousin as they travelled to help their grandma put up Christmas lights have been farewelled in a moving Tongala service.

Luke and Benny Smith were killed in a horror plane crash alongside their cousin Dustin Daly. Picture: Supplied.

Two “beautiful, happy and vibrant” brothers killed in a horror plane crash with their cousin as they travelled to help their grandma put up Christmas lights have been farewelled in a moving Tongala service.

Family and friends of Luke and Benny Smith gathered at the Tongala Football Club on Wednesday in the second of two funerals for the family.

Luke, 20, was piloting the plane, with 16-year-old brother Benny and 15-year-old cousin Dustin Daly as passengers, as they flew to their grandma’s house to help her put up Christmas decorations.

Luke Smith, 20, was an experience pilot. Picture: Supplied

With stumps set up and footy boots on the oval, hundreds gathered on the oval to pay their respects to the popular sportsmen.

Along with their siblings Ryan and Olivia, Luke and Benny were the “highlight of our lives” for parents Ajay and Leonie.

Luke and Benny, and Ryan and Olivia, are the highlight of parents Ajay and Leonie’s lives. Picture: Supplied.

“Unfortunately it’s time to say goodbye and we’ll remember all of the good times we’ve had,” Ajay said.

“Life will never be the same but we’ll find a way to push forward together.

“Fly high boys.”

Benny Smith was a huge Carlton fan. Picture: Supplied

Brother Ryan told the crowd the past two and a half weeks had been the “hardest in his life”.

“Not a day will go by without thinking of you,” he said of older brother Luke, adding he had loved getting to be on the same sporting team this year.

“Footy and cricket will never be the same,” he said.

Benny was a “little fierce competitor”, he said, a sporty teen who would “always do whatever the team needed”.

Benny, right, was a “little shadow” to his older brother Luke. Picture: Supplied

He was a “little shadow to Luke”, Ryan said, adding how his little brother would spend hours in the backyard “practising his fielding”.

“I will treasure all the memories of our backyard games,” he said.

“Life without my little brother will never be the same.”

Other family members spoke of the brothers’ love for practical jokes, waking everyone up in the middle of the night by climbing the church belltower next door to their grandma’s house and ringing the bell, racing to be back in bed before they got caught.

Despite their funloving natures, they were both hard workers, with 20-year-old Luke having purchased his first home just this year and Benny a “quiet achiever” who was very protective of his little sister Olivia.

Luke purchased his first home this year. Picture: Supplied.

Family friend Darren, known as Daz, remembered all the times he went on footy trips with Luke and Benny.

He spoke magic tricks when the boys were little, and laughter as they grew.

“The boys used to love camping — we had some great times with the boys,” Daz said.

“Lots of memories will be cherished forever.”

Daz remembered Luke being passionate about flying before he’d gotten in the cockpit.

He wanted to know how many acres he would need to put in his own runway, Daz said. Within days of asking the question, he was on his first flight.

Benny was a quieter sort, he said, but there were still plenty of practical jokes.

Luke and Benny Smith were farewelled at a moving funeral service after they were killed in a Gippsland plane crash. Picture: Supplied.

Celebrant Michael Pratt said loss was felt even more deeply when it was unexpected, especially for people as young and as “full of life” as Luke and Benny.

“You have no doubt felt many emotions in the last few days,” he said.

“Grief is the price we pay for loving someone so special, so dearly.

“Today we must find comfort and strength within each other, just as they would have wanted.”

Carlton fans, both boys wore the number 9 jumper at different times in their footy careers, taking after their hero Patty Cripps.

The pair loved their footy. Picture: Supplied.

They were “typical, popular, loveable country boys who both loved a parmi”, Mr Pratt said.

Luke was known for his passion for sport and flying.

“Luke was an exceptional young man whose smile would light up the room,” Mr Pratt said.

He had “drive, intelligence and unwavering love for family and friends”.

“(He) achieved so much without even appearing to be trying very hard.”

But it was flying “where Luke’s heart was”.

As a young boy, he told his family he would build a plane so he could fly to his grandmother’s home.

Luke was passionate about flying. Picture: Supplied

He got his pilot’s licence before he got his P-plates, and had tried to build his own flight simulator in his bedroom.

Luke had flown to Byron Bay and South Australia and left his phone number and name on the wall at a pub which was discovered just a week ago.

Benny was more of a quiet achiever with a bright future ahead of him, Mr Pratt said.

He was the “ultimate team player” who “always gave his all”.

Benny, described as “shy” and “humble”, was known to “absolutely love” his footy and cricket.

Benny was a keen baker, raising more than $1200 for the Gippsland bushfires after baking more than 1000 yoyos. Picture: Supplied.

Outside of sport, he was a keen baker — winning prizes at the Maffra show.

At just 12, he baked more than 1200 yoyos to raise money for those affected by the bushfires in East Gippsland back in 2019/20.

“The oven didn’t stop for three weeks,” Mr Pratt said.

He said the pair shared a “wonderful” relationship with cousin Dusty despite living almost five hours away.

“And as family goes, Dusty — Luke and Benny’s cousin — was another one who was the life of the party,” Mr Pratt said.

The hearses did a lap of honour of the ground before travelling through a guard of honour on their way to the Tongala Cemetery.