Gabby Petito’s dad gives heartbreaking eulogy at memorial

As mourners gathered at a memorial service for Gabby Petito, her dad hinted at her tumultuous relationship with on-the-run boyfriend Brian Laundrie.

Gabby Petito was remembered for her zest for life at an emotional memorial service on Sunday, where her tearful father also hinted at her tumultuous relationship with her on-the-run fiance Brian Laundrie.

Ms Petito, 22, was farewelled at a funeral home in her native Long Island, New York, exactly one week after her body was found at a Wyoming campsite.

“The entire planet knows this woman’s name,” her father, Joe Petito, told the packed crowd. “And she’s inspired a lot of women and a lot of men to do what’s best for them first. Put yourself first. And do it now while you have time.”

Gabby Petito with her dad Joe.

Mourners gather at a funeral home to pay respects to Gabby Petito on Saturday. Picture: Stephanie Keith/Getty Images/AFP

“I couldn’t be more proud,” he added. “If there’s a relationship that might not be the best for you, leave it now.”

He also told mourners, “I don’t want you guys to be sad.”

“Gabby didn’t live that way. That wasn’t her way,” he said. “As a matter of fact, if you knew Gabby she was always a pretty happy girl. People gravitated toward her. Her nature was always to smile and treat everybody kindly.”

He spoke of her blue eyes — “those ridiculous blue eyes” — that kept her from getting in trouble at home when she was growing up.

“Gabby is the most amazing person I’ve ever met,” he added.

The memorial was held as the search continues in Florida to find Brian Laundrie, who is a person of interest in Ms Petito’s death. Picture: Stephanie Keith/Getty Images/AFP

Emergency services personnel attend the service to support Ms Petito’s stepfather, who is a firefighter. Picture: Stephanie Keith/Getty Images/AFP

Mr Petito and Ms Petito’s stepfather, James Schmidt, shared a tearful embrace at the service.

“I spent a good portion of my life working and trying to earn money to provide for our family and our kids, to give them the best life,” Mr Schmidt said.

“And Gabby, at 22 years old, helped teach me that you can always make money, but you can’t make up for lost time,” he said. “Gabby loved life and lived her life every single day, every day.”

“She is an example for all of us to live by. To enjoy every moment in this beautiful world as she did. Love and give love to all, like she did.”

He spoke of Ms Petito’s “Let It Be” tattoo, the title of the classic Beatles tune, reading a verse from the song.

The public funeral was held in Ms Petito’s hometown of Long Island. Picture: Stephanie Keith/Getty Images/AFP

“It’s OK to mourn for Gabby,” he said. “It’s OK to feel sorrow and pain. But we want to celebrate her and how she lived her life. We want to hold on to all those wonderful memories we shared with her, because that will be the answer. Let it be.”

An entire wall at the funeral home was lined with photos of Ms Petito, with her urn and candles in the centre — with some mourners stopping to pray.

The service, open to the public, was also lifestreamed from the Holbrook funeral home, which shared a moving video tribute to the slain woman in the morning.

Long lines began to form outside the funeral home by 11am, with the service ending at 5pm.

Among those on hand were more than 100 firefighters to support Mr Schmidt, who is also a firefighter.

A makeshift memorial dedicated to Gabby Petito is near City Hall in North Port, Florida. Picture: Octavio Jones / Getty Images North America / AFP

Tara Petito and Joe Petito react while the City of North Port Chief of Police Todd Garrison speaks during a news conference for Gabby on September 16. Picture: Octavio Jones/Getty Images/AFP

“We do funerals, unfortunately, and we’re good at it,” the stepfather said. “I’ve done it throughout my career. I’ve written eulogies, I’ve planned these funerals. And not one of them could ever prepare me for this moment.”

“Parents aren’t supposed to bury their children,” he added. “This is not how life is supposed to work.”

Funeral home director Connor Moloney said Ms Petito’s body was still at the coroner’s office in Wyoming — and that she had not been cremated. Her cause of death has not yet been made public.

Ms Petito and Mr Laundrie left her parents’ Suffolk County home on July 2, with the pair blogging about their trip.

Gabby Petito’s remains are still in Wyoming where she was murdered. Picture: Instagram

Police have ruled the young woman’s death as a homicide. Picture: Instagram

Police are still looking for Ms Petito’s partner Brian Laundrie who is a person of interest.

But the tension between the pair surfaced last month, and Gabby mysteriously vanished — while Laundrie returned home to Florida without her on September 1.

Mr Laundrie disappeared earlier this month and is now the subject of a massive FBI-led manhunt, including at a 10,000-hectare reserve near his parents’ home in North Port.

He was indicted last week on fraud charges for illegally using a debit card in the days after Ms Petito is believed to have vanished. Federal authorities have not said whether that card belonged to her.

A reward for his capture has reached $US30,000 ($A41,231) as of Sunday.

Meanwhile, Ms Petito’s hometown held a candle-lighting vigil for her on Friday.

This article originally appeared on the New York Post and was reproduced with permission

Originally published as Gabby Petito’s dad gives heartbreaking eulogy at memorial