KEY POINTS:
At the funeral yesterday of a 14-year-old girl who died in a head-on campervan crash, friends comforted the injured girl who is believed to have been driving.
The 15-year-old girl, her arm in a cast, wept as mourners remembered Cheyanne Marie Carter, a "tough girl with a soft
heart" who was scared of nothing.
The two girls, who had been lifelong friends, were in a Toyota Hiace campervan that crossed the centre-line of SH30 at Awakeri, 17km southwest of Whakatane, on Tuesday.
Cheyanne's grandfather Brian Carter said he believed the door of the campervan had come open and, as Cheyanne tried to close it, the unlicensed driver was distracted, veered to the right and hit a four-wheel drive coming the other way.
Police are investigating, but have not laid charges.
Cheyanne's family and friends supported the girl who is believed to have been driving, and did not mention the circumstances of her death in the service at the Liberty Life Centre in Whakatane.
Large numbers of teenagers were among the hundreds of mourners for Cheyanne, a popular girl who was due to start Year 11 at Whakatane High School this year.
Her small white coffin was covered in messages written in colourful felt pens, saying, "We'll miss u so so much" and "I love you Cheyanne".
Several friends joked that Cheyanne's mouth was always open, "either talking or eating", and a teacher said the girl's dream was to one day be a chef and own her own restaurant.
Cheyanne's stepfather Colin spoke emotionally of "the best hunting mate a dad could ever wish for". Cheyanne was hugely loyal, he said, and loved helping people and animals.
"Don't be sad for her," he said. "Cheyanne gave her whole life trying to put a smile on people's faces, and she'd be really pissed off to know she'd made you sad."
Colin's parents, Terry and Kathy Jones, had a double tragedy to contend with. Their 23-year-old son Johnny - Cheyanne's uncle - was killed in a car accident just four months ago.
"Cheyanne was a kid you couldn't help but fall for," said Kathy Jones. "She was a tough girl with a soft heart."
She said the message on Cheyanne's Bebo site, saying "I ain't scared of nothing", summed up her attitude.
Several of Cheyanne's former teachers spoke about a girl who was instantly memorable. "There was something different about Cheyanne," said one. "She was certainly no saint, but she was an intelligent and perceptive kid."
The stage at the front of the venue was covered in bouquets of colourful flowers, and mourners wore green bandanas around their arms.
Cheyanne's grandparents, Brian and Judy Carter, remembered a mischievous but lovable girl to whom they introduced the Christian faith.
A text message apology from Cheyanne to her granddad for another act of mischief, finishing with "See u later", was projected on a screen as Brian Carter spoke of Cheyanne's love of text messaging. The grandfather looked at Cheyanne's coffin as he said, "I believe I will see you later."
Judy Carter invited her other grandchildren on to the stage with her as she spoke of how Cheyanne loved to bring her friends to her grandparents' house and mess up the kitchen cooking pancakes.
The service ended with one of Cheyanne's friends singing a song specially written for her.