Sons deliver touching tribute as family and friends say final farewell to sporting legend.
Draped in his No 11 All Black shirt, Jonah Lomu's coffin was carried on the backs of his pall bearers into the South Auckland church where his final farewell was held.
About 950 friends and family members attended his funeral yesterday at the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-day Saints in Mangere to say their last goodbyes to a much loved friend, son, brother, cousin, nephew, father and husband.
Lomu's two young boys, Brayley and Dhyreille, took centre stage after the opening songs and prayers to pay a musical tribute to their father.
The boys, who were dressed in black shirts with the silver fern on the front and Lomu's No 11 on the back, sang a duet: I Am a Child of God.
Brayley and Dhyreille Lomu with grandfather Merv Quirk. Photo / Brett Phibbs
The service's official eulogy was given by the president of the Auckland New Zealand Mt Roskill stake of the church, Anthony Wilson, who spoke of Lomu's journey of faith.
"He was a big man, an athletic prodigy," he said. "[But] Jonah found a spiritual home close to his South Auckland roots."
He spoke of Lomu's work with the church's youth and others around the country and the world.
"He has lived a life that passed with great abundance. It's time for us to take the baton and move forward."
Other family members and close friends took to the rose-adorned lectern to pay tribute to Lomu's life beyond the sports field.
Nadene Lomu's father Merv Quirk spoke about his sadness at losing a son, who he had baptised.
"It's [the baptism] a fond memory I have of Jonah," he said. "I was his biggest fan, long before I met him."
Mr Quirk recalled the heart-warming good times of seeing the devoted father dance and sing with his boys and wife.
"I'm going to miss him very much, I know Nadene will, the boys will and they were very brave to sing his song."
Lomu's brother, John Lomu, said while he touched the hearts of many people throughout the world, "no one will ever know the pain of a brother or a sister".
He spoke of the good times growing up with his older brother as they "aspired to be the best they could be and follow in the footsteps of our heroes".
John Lomu finished by reading a poem in memory of his brother.
"Jonah, you came into our hearts like lightening in the sky, you came into our lives like a teardrop in my eye, our love is anything and everything till I die. Because of true love we will never say goodbye."
Dr John Mayhew spoke of how Lomu did not let his medical struggles put him down. "He dealt with life-threatening illness with no self-pity.
"Jonah to me was humble: no ego, honest in his opinions and generous to a fault ... He even liked having tea in fine china tea cups."
Dr Mayhew described a man who went above and beyond for the children he met through his charitable work.
"You have enriched my life in so many ways - rest in peace, my friend."
At the end of the almost two-hour service Lomu's two boys led the family procession out of the church, holding hands with their grandfather.
Nadene Lomu followed behind her husband's coffin supported by her mother and other relatives.
Her two young sons helped push their father's coffin into the back the funeral hearse, getting in the back with it before it was driven off to the Manukau Memorial Gardens Cemetery for a private dedication service.
