Six-year-old Ned Isham’s short but epic life celebrated in funeral service at St Clements Church in Kingston

Hundreds of mourners, dressed in red, have packed a church south of Hobart to pay tribute to a six-year-old super hero.

ANNE MATHER

3 min read

April 4, 2019 - 9:14PM

Little Ned Isham has been remembered for his adventurous spirit, his love of jokes, artistic streak and kind nature. Picture: LISA KUILENBURG

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Hundreds of mourners, dressed in red, have packed a church south of Hobart to pay tribute to a six-year-old super hero.

The funeral for Ned Isham, whose courageous battle with cancer ended last Friday, was a celebration of his brief but epic life.

“He had a short life, but an epic impact,” his dad Seth Isham said.

“You can see by this enormous crowd the impact that he had.”

St Clements Church Anglican, Kingston, was awash with red — inside and out — in honour of Ned’s favourite things: fire trucks and super heroes.

Tasmania Fire Service trucks lined up outside the church in Kingston. Picture: NIKKI DAVIS-JONES

About 700 mourners, from children up, dressed in red. Many were draped in red super hero capes with the large word NED painted in silver.

The funeral was also live streamed to Seattle in the United States, where he was treated for cancer, and to his schoolmates at nearby Southern Christian College.

His parents, Seth and Emily Isham spoke at the funeral, as well his oldest sister Lucy, 10.

They told his of adventurous spirit, his love of jokes, artistic streak and kind nature.

Emily Isham said their journey through Ned’s cancer treatment, which started when he was aged two, had been a “warpath”.

Yet Ned had brought brightness despite the darkness.

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“He captivated and won so many hearts — merely with his big smiles, unassuming and kind nature,” she said.

Dr Isham said her little boy was so kind, that the day she received the devastating news of his relapse with cancer, he tried to comfort his mum.

“He kept patting me on the knee and looking into my eyes asking ‘are you OK mum?’”

Ned’s three siblings were also at the funeral: one-year-old Gilbert, three-year-old Eleanor and 10-year-old Lucy.

A picture illuminated by a candle at Ned Isham’s funeral service. Picture: NIKKI DAVIS-JONES

Lucy spoke to the congregation, paying tribute to her little brother.

“Ned was always the good kid,” Lucy said.

“In the mornings when mum was at gym, Gilbert would always be screaming, Eleanor would be tantruming and I would be having sooks. But Ned was good.

“I love Ned and I know he’s in a better place.”

Seth said Ned would forever be his son, though he would now be free of pain, hospitals and needles.

“While now here on earth I only have one son, I will always be the father of two sons,” he said.

“Now my eldest son is free of pain and more alive than he ever was here on earth.”

Ned was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia at age two, and had spent the past two years enduring the harrowing side effects of chemotherapy and two bone marrow transplants.

People were asked to 'Wear Red for Ned' as it was his favourite colour. Picture: NIKKI DAVIS-JONES

The Isham family had exhausted every possible cancer treatment for Ned, even traveling to Seattle to be part of a CAR T-cell therapy trial after a crowdfunding campaign unearthed an anonymous overseas donation of just under $600,000.

Emily Isham said Ned’s passing should not be a sign the little boy had lost a battle.

She said her son was in heaven, and his earthly battle had resulted in a sea of support and love.

“I’ll not say Ned lost the battle,” she said.

“I look around at all of you present here, and see that cancer has not prevailed.”

Writing in the funeral’s Order of Service, Seth and Emily pay tribute to the family, friends and community that has supported them throughout the journey.

“So then, where is God in all of this? He’s in the love and immense support we’ve received from our friends, family, church, neighbours and workplaces.

“He’s in the relationships that have been forming and strengthening because of his adversity.”

The youngest mourners were asked to place special items on Ned’s coffin. Among the toys, was his plastic red fireman’s cap.