Hundreds turn out to farewell ‘perfect child’ Shelbi Cate Berechree
Forever young and forever in love is how a crash victim has been remembered in an emotional tribute.
Tasmania
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FOREVER young and forever in love is how a crash victim has been remembered in an emotional tribute.
More than 450 people packed the Millingtons Funeral Centre in Mornington on Friday to celebrate the life of Shelbi Cate Berechree.
The 18-year-old Claremont woman died last Sunday from injuries sustained in the two-car crash on the Arthur Highway at Dunalley on December 27. Her boyfriend Isaack Leigh Cooper-Rozynski, also 18, died at the scene of the head-on collision.
The tragedy occurred while the couple were driving home from a Boxing Day fishing trip at White Beach.
MORE: DUNALLEY CRASH VICTIMS 'FREE TO FLY’
Shelbi’s mum Tania Gill described her daughter as the “perfect child”.
“I’ll miss her every day but I’m determined to live for Shelbi,” she said through tears.
“She was the most thoughtful and selfless child. You never had to growl at her and she very rarely dropped the ball.
“She treated everyone like they were her best friend. Any time they needed her, she was there.”
Ms Gill said Shelbi was the family’s “cake queen”, constantly cooking up delicious delights.
She also had a gift with children, recently completing a Certificate III in child care at Guilford Young College before landing her dream job at the Benjafield and Berriedale child care centres.
“She loved what she did but she also wanted to travel, buy a house and set up a life with Isaack. They had their future together mapped out,” Ms Gill said.
“I don’t know how she would’ve coped had she stayed, knowing that he wasn’t here.
“They’re now forever young and forever in love.”
One of Shelbi’s best friends, Chloe Schultz, told mourners Shelbi was “amazing in every single way”.
“She was the kindest and most pure person. A friendship with Shelbi was the most amazing thing in the world,” she said.
“If Shelbi was here right now she’d look at me and say, ‘I’m not going to tell you it’s going to be OK, because it’s not, but we’ll get through it together’.
“We had so much planned and I believe we will do it, so this is not goodbye, this is a see you soon.”
Tributes written by Shelbi’s dad Rob Berechree, stepmother Karen, stepfather Laurie and siblings, Caleb, Ben, Sam, Sarah, Molly and Byron were also read during the 90-minute service.
Shelbi’s white coffin was covered in pink flowers, photos, a can of vanilla Coke, the service booklet from Isaack’s funeral and a toy turtle — her favourite animal.
Lukas Graham’s Love Someone was played at the start of the funeral and Forever Young by Youth Group accompanied a photo slide show. Hundreds of mourners approached Shelbi’s coffin to say their final farewells to Always with Me, Always with You by Joe Satriani before Vance Joy’s We’re Going Home was played at the end of the service.
Shelbi’s family and closest friends then released pink balloons into the sky before gathering at the Mt Faulkner Scout Hall in Claremont.
Hundreds of Shelbi and Isaack’s friends are expected to meet on Bellerive beach at 7pm on Saturday to share stories and memories about the pair.
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