Images of Helena McAlpine at the service drew cheers and laughter. Photo / Greg Bowker
Images of Helena McAlpine at the service drew cheers and laughter. Photo / Greg Bowker
As Helena McAlpine's final farewell began at the historic St James Theatre in Auckland, you could be forgiven for feeling like you were at a concert.
Her casket was centre stage, surrounded with flowers and palms. The service opened with Laughton Kora performing Sam Cooke's A Change is Gonna Come, while images of McAlpine played in the background -- accompanied by cheers and laughter from the crowd.
Broadcaster John Campbell was MC for the woman who "lived, laughed, loved and left a legacy" - and he also lent support to family members and friends as they took to the stage to speak of their loved one.
McAlpine, 37, died last week after a high-profile battle with breast cancer.
Husband Chris Barton described her "booming laugh and fearless spirit" and spoke of their first date, when McAlpine had just finished her first round of chemotherapy.
He said she had lost her ID while attending an event at the St James months ago, and it was found by staff the week before her funeral.
The sound of laughter defined McAlpine's farewell. Whenever speakers started to move into sombre territory, there she was on the screen behind the stage, drinking straight out of a bottle of Jagermeister and eliciting more giggles from the almost 400 mourners - and even a couple of barks from her beloved dog Murphy, who was also in attendance.
McAlpine's 15-year-old daughter Shannon McAlpine said her mother was "a huge inspiration to so many people, including myself" and she would "always steal the spotlight".
Daughter Shannon McAlpine, right, gave an emotional tribute. Photo / Greg Bowker
"I told mum when she took her last breath, I'm going to try so hard to make her proud ... 'I'm going to do big things for you'," she said.
McAlpine's mother and sister, Julie and Renee Duncan, also gave emotional tributes, with her sister ending her speech by saying, "Thank you for being so bloody brilliant. Thank you for being my sister. I love you forever, Smelly."
Friends and co-workers Shavaughn Ruakere, Samantha Blunt and Clarke Gayford also spoke of their love for McAlpine - with Gayford even wearing a dress of McAlpine's as an "act of revenge" for her habit of stealing his clothes.
Shannon McApline and Hollie Smith say their farewells to Helena McApline after the service at the St James Theatre in Auckland City. Photo / Greg Bowker
Ruakere described bonding with McAlpine over unemployment and free muffins from the Hollywood Bakery.
"Deciding to be friends with Helena was deciding to be embarrassed," she said with affection.
Singer-songwriter and close friend Hollie Smith also spoke and said she took on "the angry mum nurse role, which unfortunately for us became a slightly important one".
A song Smith wrote for McAlpine and Barton's wedding then played - which Smith had finished recording the night before her friend passed away - as family and friends laid flowers on her casket.
