Coroglen drowning: ‘Beautiful boy’ Cameron Cumming farewelled in packed service

Cameron Cumming, 19, died after falling into a creek alongside the Tairua Whitianga Road in the early hours of the morning. Photo / Supplied

A teenage boy who drowned after falling down a cliff into a river has been farewelled at an overflowing church service “packed with people from all walks of life”.

Friends and family said goodbye to “their beautiful boy” Cameron Cumming today in Whitianga where the 19-year-old grew up.

Close family friend Nicole Bryant said the mix of people at the service showed how open Cameron was and the wide range of people he attracted.

“He was just gorgeous and he had this energy that just drew people in,” Bryant said.

“He was goofy and funny but he also struggled having all eyes on him. He was just a modest but amazing kid.”

Bryant met Cameron six years ago at Mercury Bay Area school in a class for teens who were not engaged in class.

She took the teen under her wing and said he thrived and grew in confidence, marketing a business making furniture out of wood pallets.

He eventually worked as a builder for Bryant’s husband and became “like a son” to them.

“We loved him like a son and he loved us back,” Bryant said.

“He was all about family and was dedicated to his mum Juanita, his dad Dean and his brothers.

“It was such a pure love, he was a protector of his family and he just loved every one of them so fiercely.”

Cameron Cumming at work for Whitianga builder Gene Bryant.

Younger brothers Seth and Knox idolised Cameron, Bryant said.

“It’s heartbreaking and there is no button you can press to take away their pain.

“They absolutely loved him and he loved them.”

Bryant said Cameron’s death had rocked the small town of Whitianga where Cameron was raised.

She said her heart went out to Cameron’s friends who were with him when he died.

The carload of friends, including his best friend Logan and girlfriend Myah, had made a toilet stop along the Tairua Whitianga Rd in Coromandel on Thursday.

Cumming fell down the steep drop, hitting his head, and drowned in the Waiwawa River.

His friends only realised he was missing when he didn’t return to the car and looked for him frantically before calling emergency services.

“I am incredibly close to Logan who is Cam’s best friend and it breaks my heart to watch his friends and girlfriend go through this,” Bryant said.

“They are an incredibly close-knit group who are like siblings and this is really hurting them.”

Bryant said there was some comfort in knowing how happy Cameron was in his final weeks.

The teen had suffered from anxiety but had been working on ways to cope and had grown in confidence.

“He was a lot different to the boy I met six years ago, he had come a long way and was really finding his way in life,” Bryant said.

Bryant said Cameron’s friends had noticed he was happier and went out of his way to let people know they were appreciated.

“He left us after making sure we all knew we were loved, appreciated and had done our best.”