KEY POINTS:
"Hope and goodness can come out of something which is traumatic and awful. And that's what we want our children's lives to offer - a turning point to other people."
The words of grieving father John McClean reflected the faith and strength that shone through yesterday's memorial service for his teacher son and six of his Elim Christian College students.
Minutes after he spoke seven doves were set free - one each for teacher Tony McClean and students Anthony Mulder, Floyd Fernandes, Natasha Bray, Portia McPhail, Tara Gregory and Tom Hsu, who died in the Mangatepopo Gorge canyoning tragedy on April 15.
About 3000 people attended the service at the TelstraClear Events Centre in Manukau.
Seven canvas photos of the young victims were mounted on easels and displayed on stage. Between them, dozens of images flashed in a slideshow, projected on to a screen showing the students and their teacher in various activities - many taken at the Outdoor Pursuits Centre not long before their deaths. Their eyes were lit up and their smiles beamed as they abseiled, river-kayaked and performed team-building exercises.
Music accompanied the images and a band sang a song written specially for the victims. Tribute messages from fellow students sent laughter around the room several times as personal jokes and quotes from each person scrolled up the screen over the images.
There were countless moving moments during the service which included a poem from Janis Fernandes, whose older brother and "best friend" Floyd died in the tragedy.
There was a standing ovation for the police and search and rescue staff at the request of Natasha Bray's father Andy Bray, who expressed gratitude for their efforts during a night in dense bush and terrible weather which did not end until they had found seven bodies.
John McClean addressed the crowd, as did Elim student Kish Procter, who survived the tragedy, and the school's principal Murray Burton.
As thousands of people walked into the centre, they pinned badges to their chests with the words "jump in puddles" - the special saying of Natasha Bray and Portia McPhail and a reference to the pair always wanting to make the most of any situation.
This optimism and hope was a theme of the service and was echoed afterwards as the parents of Tony McClean and Floyd Fernandes addressed media.
Still raw with grief, they said they were focusing on what their children had achieved in their short but full lives, not what had happened.
"Our kids were loving life ... their lives were full," Mr McClean said.
While they had questions surrounding the incident, they were for the police to ask, not the families.
"Somebody needs to ask those questions but we don't feel the need for blame," Mr McClean said.
The families plan to go to the canyon and expected to visit the area several times in coming months.
The school's principal Murray Burton spoke of the school's tremendous grief, but noted its faith was strong.
