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Home / World

Home and Away star Jessica Falkholt's family laid to rest after horror Boxing Day crash

AAP
10 Jan, 2018 06:47 AM3 mins to read

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Home and Away star Jessica Falkholt has died in hospital six days after having her life support switched off. Australian police commented on the rising road toll after the crash that resulted in the deaths of Falkholt, her sister Annabelle and their parents Lars and Vivian. / Sky News

Lars Falkholt was such a cautious driver extra time was always factored in for car trips, mourners have been told at the Sydney funeral for him, his wife and their youngest daughter.

So it was "ironic" a fiery crash had claimed the life of the 69-year-old, his wife Vivian, 60, and 21-year-old Annabelle, his brother-in-law said.

Annabelle's 29-year-old sister, Jessica, is still clinging to life in hospital.

Promising actor Jessica Falkholt, 28, who had just completed her first feature film starring role, is fighting for her life. Photo / Supplied
Promising actor Jessica Falkholt, 28, who had just completed her first feature film starring role, is fighting for her life. Photo / Supplied

The Home and Away actor is not aware she's the sole survivor of the Boxing Day tragedy on the NSW south coast which also killed the driver of a four-wheel drive which slammed into the Falkholt's car.

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The family was remembered as being radiant and inseparable on Wednesday by hundreds of mourners who said their goodbyes at St Mary's Catholic church in Concord. In an emotional eulogy, Vivian's younger brother Paul Ponticello told the service what a safe driver his brother-in-law was.

"The irony of this tragedy is that Lars was such a careful driver," he said.

Whenever Ponticello gave directions to Lars he would add extra time for the trip to allow for the "Lars factor".

"(It's) a day that will be difficult to erase from our memory," he said.

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The Falkholt sisters were pulled from the wreckage of the family car on December 26 before it erupted in flames with the bodies of their parents inside.

Annabelle was flown to Liverpool Hospital in a critical condition but died three days later.

Ponticello thanked the members of the public who rescued the siblings.

Pictured (left) is Jordan Brohier the boyfriend of Annabelle Falkholt. Photo / AAP
Pictured (left) is Jordan Brohier the boyfriend of Annabelle Falkholt. Photo / AAP

Their mother Vivian, who was born in Italy before migrating to Australia, found the love of her life after Lars also moved to Sydney after growing up in Sweden, he said.

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"Lars and Vivian were both immersed in the girls' lives and appeared to be inseparable. We take comfort in knowing they are together and always will be."

Annabelle, who loved the arts and had a passion for travel, was remembered as a kind and radiant person who loved life.

"(She is) someone who people were drawn to ... she loved to laugh and the sound of it is something many of us will carry for the rest of our lives," friend Brittany Macchetta said.

Family and friends gather to farewell Lars, Vivian and Annabelle Falkholt who were killed in a car accident on Boxing Day last year. Photo / AAP
Family and friends gather to farewell Lars, Vivian and Annabelle Falkholt who were killed in a car accident on Boxing Day last year. Photo / AAP

"(She was) the most beautiful friend I have known."

Ms Macchetta ended her eulogy with Annabelle's favourite quote from the Harry Potter series: "The ones that love us never really leave us."

Family members and close friends including Annabelle's boyfriend, Jordan Brohier, carried the caskets out of the church to three waiting hearses.

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A prayer read in Swedish was filmed to be shown at a separate service in Sweden later on Wednesday for Lars Falkholt's family and friends.

Photo galleries at the Falkholt funeral. Photo / Supplied
Photo galleries at the Falkholt funeral. Photo / Supplied

Since the crash, Jessica has undergone several surgeries including the removal of a kidney and part of her skull, News Corp Australia reports. She remains in a coma.

In recent years Jessica found fame on the small screen as Hope Morrison in Home and Away, with the long-running TV soap paving the way for her feature film debut in the forthcoming supernatural thriller Harmony.

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