DI-Erin Weatherall has been remembered as a bubbly and kind-hearted teenager who loved dancing, was devoted to her family and had a bright future ahead of her when she died three days after her 16th birthday playing the sport she loved.
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Around 500 people filled the PCYC Newcastle on Friday for Di-Erin's music-filled memorial service.
Her family - including parents Adam McCarthy and Sandra Weatherall, older sister Tyra and younger siblings Shinnikah, 13, and Adam, nine months - will hold her funeral on August 3 in Brewarrina, where she lived until she was two.
Her family were from Murrawarri country.
Her uncle, Ken Weatherall, said his niece, also known as Di Di, was a "beautiful, active, sensible teenager who had a heart of gold and was very empathetic to others".
She was starting to talk about gaining her licence, finishing school, getting a job and travelling.
"We are incredibly blessed and honoured to have had this wonderful, kind and caring soul in our lives and we are forever grateful for the memories she gave us," he said.
"We know her love and connection to all of us will never fade and that her life will have never been in vain."
He said the family felt a sense of "anger, frustration and [of being] absolutely robbed of someone so special to all of us who was taken from us way before her time".
"We now have a void in our family and an emptiness that can never be filled, but through this sadness and sorrow we are absolutely determined to give strength to one another to get through, as we know this is what Di Di would have wanted."
Di-Erin turned 16 on July 14.
She collapsed on the field two days later while playing rugby league for Awabakal in the Nations of Origin at Raymond Terrace on July 16.
Her father, Mr McCarthy, told the Newcastle Herald she mentioned before running out that her heart was racing, but they put it down to nerves.
He said she became ill within a few minutes of play and an off-duty ambulance officer commenced cardio pulmonary resuscitation.
A defibrillator was also deployed. Di-Erin was rushed to hospital and died on July 17.
She had hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, or an enlarged heart muscle.
"We want to get the word out, if you have a heart condition on one or both sides of your family, make sure your kids get tested and on medication to make sure they're fit and healthy for the rest of their lives," he said.
"We want to make sure this does not happen again.
"She was a bubbly girl and this is the first time she had ever complained about anything."
He said he also wanted to raise awareness of Hunter New England Health's Aboriginal Child and Youth Counselling Service Wiyiliin Ta, which had helped Di-Erin after she lost a friend in a motorcycle accident two weeks before her own death.
His wife, Sandra, said her mother Pam has hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and since Di-Erin's death, the family's two youngest children had been tested and been found to also have the disease.
"They will be on treatment for the rest of their lives now - Di-Erin has saved their lives and will hopefully help a lot of other people too, that's what I want," Ms Weatherall said.
"She was my best friend and we did everything together.
"One of my proudest moments was our first game together [for the Cardiff Cobrettes].
"We wanted to play together in the Koori tournament next year and then I would retire."
Mourners were encouraged to wear Di-Erin's favourite colour, purple. They watched a slideshow and heard some of her favourite songs, including Brooks and Dunn's Neon Moon and Dinah Jane's Bottled Up.
Di-Erin's grandfather, Gerald 'Joe' Weatherall said the family had been tortured by the question 'why'.
"Why take someone as young?" he said.
"She wasn't supposed to go before us. She was supposed to live her life, which she did for 16 years. It was very short, but we're very blessed we had her for 16 years instead of not at all."
He thanked the community, saying the outpouring of support and the number of mourners at the service was "overwhelming".
Ken Weatherall told mourners Di-Erin's parents thought they were having a boy and "the most beautiful little girl in the world" spent the first week of her life dressed in blue.
"Weighing six pounds ten with lots of hair, big rosy cheeks and a set of solid lungs, her life began."
He said she grew up happy-go-lucky and close to her siblings and cousins, relished Dora The Explorer and The Wiggles and enjoyed posing, dancing, waving and occasionally poking out her tongue in the family's home movies.
"She was so protective of the younger ones, made sure nobody gave them any trouble and that they looked out for each other.
"While she was a very shy and quiet-natured girl, if you'd done her wrong you'd know it. She wasn't afraid to defend herself and others."
Di-Erin attended Edgeworth Public School and Cardiff High School.
She was a netballer and a footballer, loved the Cronulla Sharks and played with the Cardiff Cougars before joining the Cardiff Cobrettes for ladies league tag this year.
He said she made friends easily and that strangers felt within minutes they'd known her for years.
Friends stayed over at the family home for days and even weeks at a time.
Mel Tighe said her friend's death had "shattered my heart in a million pieces".
"All the special memories we had together, my girl, I'll never forget those," Ms Tighe said.
"You'll be forever in my heart."
She said she would make sure to tell her unborn son about Di-Erin and "everything you've done for me".
"You were one-of-a-kind and never left my side.
"In anything I did you were always with me."
Friend Jada Beale said Di-Erin was more like a sister.
"We had that many adventures during our friendship: we laughed, we cried... we fought and laughed again.
"She was the happiest, most warm-hearted and trustworthy person I ever met."
Ms Beale said Di-Erin could be shy, self-conscious, loud and proud.
"She was the one friend who would always check in, even when she was feeling down herself," she said.
"That was just her nature, she always put people before herself.
"She had the biggest smile and the biggest heart with so much love to give.
"My heart is broken and I don't know how to carry on without you, Di Di. Please be shining over us."
Jaelea Skehan spoke on behalf of Cardiff Netball Club, saying Di-Erin had been attending matches since she was three years old and later played defence and goal shooter.
"You could always rely on Di-Erin and anyone in her family to help out if ever asked and actually without being asked at all, which is why the sudden death of such a beautiful girl from such a beautiful family is just so hard to reconcile for each and every one of us."
Ms Skehan said Di-Erin was a "fundamental part" of her community.
She said she would remember Di-Erin as a tiny girl trying to shoot a big ball into a small hoop, a kid trying to get away with running one lap when asked to run two, a member of a grand final winning team and on the side of the court kissing her baby brother's head and watching her younger sister play.
Cardiff High principal Gareth Erskine said when he contacted staff about the year 10 student's death they were shocked and remembered her as a "strong and capable young woman", "sweet and wonderful student" and a "girl who was respected and trusted".
"She kept the boys in line, backed up the girls and distracted her teachers with stories from home," he said.
"I knew Di-Erin as a sometimes shy but strong woman who had enormous love for her family and connection to her culture. She felt things deeply.
"We celebrate her life, we celebrate her memory and keep her forever in our hearts and minds, forever young."
He told the Herald about 35 staff and between 50 to 100 students attended the service.
"Her loss has deeply affected our school community and in the last week we have seen an outpouring of shock, grief and emotion.
"The school staff offer our love, thoughts, prayers and support to her family and friends at this difficult time."
Ken Weatherall concluded his eulogy by thanking Di-Erin.
"Thank you for your kindness, for your bubbly and positive energy, your big heart, for your laughter during the fun times and the love for family, but most of all, thank you for just being you.
"We love you today more than ever and more than you will ever know.
"We miss you so much already and while you are no longer with us on this earth, we know your spirit will be with us forever."
Di-Erin's aunt Geraldine 'Gero' Weatherall; Aunty Laurel Williams; close family friend Aunty Selena Archibald; Cardiff Cougars Junior Rugby League Football Club president James Baldock and Aunty Donna Meehan also spoke.
Her aunt Tina Weatherall said she had never seen her niece as happy as she was at her 16th birthday party.
"She danced and laughed like there was no tomorrow."
She said the close family did everything together.
"Now our chain is broken, we have a link missing.
"We might be broken but she will always be there with us in any family events."
Lifeline: 13 11 14
Helen Gregory
Helen Gregory joined the Newcastle Herald in 2010. She is the masthead’s education reporter and has written for the H2 and Weekender sections, as well as across a range of issues. Helen is a Walkley Award winning journalist and was also part of the Newcastle Herald team that won the United Nations World Environment Day Media Award for Environmental Reporting.
Helen Gregory joined the Newcastle Herald in 2010. She is the masthead’s education reporter and has written for the H2 and Weekender sections, as well as across a range of issues. Helen is a Walkley Award winning journalist and was also part of the Newcastle Herald team that won the United Nations World Environment Day Media Award for Environmental Reporting.
