KEY POINTS:
A simple brown teddy bear sat in Floyd Fernandes' casket today as the 16-year-old student was farewelled by hundreds of friends, family and schoolmates.
The teenage student from the Elim Christian College in the Auckland suburb of Howick died with five schoolmates and a teacher when they were caught by a flash flood at the Tongariro National Park in the middle of the North Island on Tuesday.
They were on an adventure leadership course at the Sir Edmund Hillary Outdoor Pursuits Centre and their deaths rocked the small college and had many questioning the strength of their faith in God.
Today the mourners gathered in the school hall as three huge images of Floyd were projected onto big screens as his casket was wheeled in.
The lid was removed before his mother Jennifer placed the teddy bear in it.
For many students it was their first encounter with death and a body and as they filed past the open casket the tears flowed and the hugs and small gestures of support were evident.
In a simple but highly moving service Floyd was remembered as a highly talented musician, a humble student and a good all-rounder who loved sport.
The school auditorium was packed with more than 500 mourners and another 400 or 500 packed the school gymnasium next door to watch the service on monitors.
Floyd's father, Francisco spoke of a son who loved to compete with him.
"I enjoyed winning and I used to see victory in you.
"Floyd, I have to say you are a better man than me. You won the race.
"I will miss you and I have lost a companion and a friend," he said.
His mother Jennifer told mourners God had taken back the treasure he had given the family.
"As a mother I find it really hard to stand here and share on a day such as this but I give all glory to our God as I share my heart out to you," she said.
Pastor Luke Brough who led the service said the tragedy took seven lives was not God's will. Life was not always fair and it was not a perfect world, he said.
"When people say to me this is God's will, I say rubbish. That is not true. God is grieving too."
He said God could have stopped the tragedy but to do that he would have to take away peoples' free will, the opportunity they had to choose.
He said the greatest blessing God had given was the freedom of choice but it was also the greatest curse because "often we choose the wrong thing' and when the wrong choices were made, sometimes innocent people suffered.
He said the school was not bitter and commended the work of the Sir Edmund Hillary Outdoor Pursuits Centre.
He said they were not pointing the finger of blame.
"That is for the experts to decide.
"If mistakes were made we reach out to those who made those calls with love and forgiveness."
Floyd was buried in a private service which was by invitation only as the family asked for privacy.
School Board of Trustees Chairman Danie Vermeulen said this morning the Fernandes family has been overwhelmed with support offered by the community.
Mr Vermeulen described Floyd as a friendly guy who was loved by everyone around him. Mr Vermeulen, who knew the 16 year-old through his children, said Floyd was fun-loving, talented, energetic and active.
The funerals for the others killed in the accident will follow throughout the week.
On Monday, Portia McPhail's funeral will be held at 9am, Tom Hsu's at 10.30am and Natasha Bray's at 1pm.
On Tuesday, Anthony Mulder will be farewelled at 10.30am and teacher Tony McClean at 2pm.
Tara Gregory will be farewelled at 10.30am on Wednesday.
All of the services will be held at the Elim Christian Centre except for Tara Gregory's, which will be at St Andrew's Presbyterian Church in Otahuhu, and Tom Hsu's, which will be at the Howick Baptist Church.
- NZPA, NEWSTALK ZB
