KEY POINTS:
Daisy Fernandez will always be as Claudia Billinge remembers her. Through photos and video film, her best friend is forever young, and forever smiling.
On Monday, at Daisy's memorial service at Otumoetai College, Claudia had friends read aloud a dedication she had written to Daisy, who died on
New Year's Eve when a motorbike ridden by a 15-year-old ploughed into her and Claudia on Ripiro Beach in Dargaville.
Claudia, who left Tauranga Hospital to come to the service, is still recovering from a smashed hip and broken leg and is expected to remain in hospital for another three weeks before returning to school in April.
Claudia still has an "excessive and uncontrollable" amount of nerve pain on her left side.
Wheeled on to the stage at Otumoetai College's performing arts centre, Claudia paid homage to her best mate - and later also had the honour of laying Daisy's remembrance plaque in the college's remembrance garden, where a tree has been planted, framed appropriately by tall, delicate daisies.
"Daisy lived her life to the full, she definitely did. Some people wondered, Daisy just did. She was unique and proud of it," Claudia wrote.
"Everyone knew Daisy and loved her. She made everyone smile and everyone knew her name - whether they knew her, or had just heard of her," she said. Claudia said the tragic experience of losing a friend had made her realise life was short, as well as precious.
"Try and stay young as long as you can. Focus on things that make you happy - life, your friends and your family."
Other students at Otumoetai College, who took turns speaking to the crowded auditorium, remembered Daisy as someone "spontaneous and honest, bubbly and bright and an amazing friend".
"No matter how hard it is for us, you will never leave us. You will remain in our hearts forever," one said.
Another friend added: "For most of us when we look to finishing school, we have goals of passing exams or just finishing exams, but for Daisy, her [goals] were to travel the world, save the Amazon kids, become a top model ... she wouldn't have been a secretary, she would have been president.
"She had a huge amount of individuality and was anything but ordinary."
A montage of photos of Daisy - fresh faced and innocent - morphed into one another on a screen, epitomising her youth and happiness, and the frailty of life itself.
In one particular photo - with a soundtrack of Beach Boys music - the spot where Daisy died at Ripiro Beach was shown scattered with flowers and with her name and date of death spelled out in shells, a rich, orange sun illuminating the location.
Otumoetai College Principal Dave Randell said he has "buried" five students in the eight years he has been at the college.
"It is always a horrific tragedy when a life so young is taken," he said. "We have cried, and we have laughed, and she will be a fondly remembered little lady."
It was important for students to remember and go forward, he said.
Becky Watts, youth pastor for the baptist church Daisy attended, said she met Daisy at the start of 2007. She told mourners Daisy's life had had meaning and purpose and would "affect us all for the rest of our lives".
She had taken comfort in Daisy's death by being invited to read Daisy's "gorgeous journal" in which she had written two lists - "Have Done" and "Haven't Done".
Under Have Done, the 13-year-old wrote things such as: "I have kissed a boy, I have jumped off a boat, I have been dumped, I have dumped someone. I have been forgotten at a supermarket, I have run away, I have gained a friend, I have lost a friend. I have flashed someone. I have forgotten what day it is, what month it is and blamed it on someone else."
Under "I haven't", her list included: "I haven't done drugs, I haven't paraglided, I haven't had a good party, I haven't been an emo or gangster, I haven't killed an animal, I haven't had one date that was good, I haven't stopped believing in God."
Ms Watts said: "As we learn from the amazing life of Daisy, choose to make 2008 count. Make your choices count and focus on what's important in life."
A family spokesperson, who did not wish to be named, said they had been heartened by the support of Otumoetai College and the community, which had been a pillar of strength for them.
Dargaville kaumatua Jim Te Tuhi, who had blessed the site of Daisy's death, also attended the memorial.
Claudia's father, Mark Billinge, said the same support had been shown towards his daughter, and family.
"For kids, it's all their friends that gets them through." He said Daisy's memorial service was touching. Neither he nor Claudia had been able to attend her funeral in January.
- BAY OF PLENTY TIMES
