KEY POINTS:
The night before he died Andrew Atkinson wrote about his dreams of building a successful business to fund local and overseas aid.
The 22-year-old and his close friend Brad Thom had been at the Parachute Christian music festival at Mystery Creek near Hamilton last Saturday. They went back
to a motel, had a snack and talked about the future.
"I went to bed, but Andrew had stayed up to write down his thoughts," said Mr Thom.
The next day Mr Atkinson went swimming with friends, attempted a backflip from a bridge at Narrows Landing 15m above the Waikato River - and disappeared in the dark waters.
Though the water was 12m deep, the river was dangerous, with fast currents, whirlpools and hidden objects.
A prayer was held by shocked festival-goers after police recovered the Takapuna man's body in the evening.
At his funeral yesterday at Takapuna's Harbourside Church, 1500 mourners remembered a young man who enjoyed life with a passion.
A youth pastor, Mr Atkinson had "charisma and a can-do attitude", said friend Josh Coburn.
"It was a tragic event ... someone who used every opportunity to live life to the fullest has gone."
Mr Atkinson also enjoyed surfing, snowboarding, skateboarding, mountain boarding and skydiving in his leisure time. A gifted entrepreneur, he had started importing contact lenses and built a mobile coffee cart.
Andrew's twin brother, David, said it had been hard being separated from his brother while he was studying in Christchurch. He didn't know how he would cope without him.
"I'm going to miss how he made me feel about myself and the world ... I'm going to miss my twin and my best friend," he said.
The congregation heard about Mr Atkinson's battle with Crohn's disease, which he had been fighting since age 13.
The disease meant his love for new activities was often hindered by visits to hospital. "He didn't just tolerate his disease - he rejoiced in it," said Mr Coburn.
"After his last trip to hospital he came out a stronger man, who couldn't be shaken."
Matty Piper, another friend of Mr Atkinson's, spoke of the pastor's love of people and his mischievous side. "I suspect heaven just got a lot more fun," he said.
Water Safety New Zealand's Waikato and Bay of Plenty regional manager Mark Haimona said rivers were unforgiving because it was not always possible to see the dangers.
