With a talent for both music and life, it was only fitting that Rotorua teenager Michael Pilaar was given a farewell full of laughter and song.
More than 300 people came together today to celebrate the life of the talented teen musician.
Michael died on Friday, June 23, after a battle with melanoma. He was 19.
The ceremony began with his casket being driven through Western Heights High School.
Students had performed a haka before the casket was taken to St Mary's Church.
The packed out church fell silent as his coffin was carried in.
The coffin was adorned with touching tributes and messages, photographs and musical notes.
Reverend Lance Thomas began the ceremony by acknowledging the care and love the Pilaar family provided.
"We acknowledge the love and care you have given Michael," he said.
"You could not have done more."
Michael's cello took centre stage as the crowd then sang songs in his honour.
People were in fits of laughter as they heard tales from his siblings of how Michael avoided the housework, had a fiery temper and never liked losing at games.
"He wasn't happy with the title of accompanist, so I let him be my second soloist," his younger sister Anna said.
"Playing together was something that's uniquely ours."
Anna, 17, spoke with grace and confidence as she told tales of her brother.
"I had a pink diary which I had my own code for writing in.
"He once stole it and wrote me a letter in it, in my own code. I was furious, but my mum only laughed."
His dad Christian Pilaar was the final family member to speak.
"He was as special as anyone who is here among us.
"We are all walking breathing miracles and let's not take that for granted."
Mr Pilaar said Michael's life was a picture of what it meant to live.
"He had a wonderful sense for the ridiculous, and he just lived that."
Speakers for the ceremony included Western Heights High School principal Jim Gemmell, music teacher Adam Hague, church youth leader Ed Masters and friend from home school Ash Gower-Rudman.
Mr Gemmell said he separated all musicians into two categories, open door musicians and closed door musicians.
"Michael was an open door musician.
"My office was 10 paces away from the assembly hall where some students would practise.
"With Michael, I never had to close my door."
Western Heights High School choir and jazz band, and the St John's youth band performed music during the ceremony.
Michael was then buried after a small ceremony at Kauae Cemetery.
He is survived by his parents Elizabeth and Christian Pilaar and two siblings, Anna, 17, and Jonathan, 14.
'I feel confident knowing ... he’ll never be able to work for emergency services again.'