The distraught mother of one of the victims of the Gold Coast helicopter tragedy has collapsed and had to be helped by mourners at her daughter’s funeral.
Rita Jaja was overcome with emotion as Vanessa Tadros, 36, was farewelled by around 100 friends and family at St John The Beloved Church at Mt Druitt, Sydney.
Ms Tadros, 36, died in the horror crash on January 2, along with three other victims, including Ron and Diane Hughes, who were on honeymoon from the UK when the joy flight turned disastrous.
Helicopter chief pilot Ashley Jenkinson was also killed in the crash.
Rita Jaja, mother of Vanessa Tadros, 36, was overcome with emotion at her daughter’s funeral
Rita Jaja, mother of Vanessa Tadros, had to be helped by mourners
The distraught mother was overwhelmed at the funeral of her daughter Vanessa Tadros
Vanessa Tadros, 36, was farewelled by friends and family on Monday at St John The Beloved Church at Mt Druitt, Sydney
Vanessa Tadros, 36, (whose portrait was held by one young mourner) died in the horror crash on January 2, along with three other victims
Vanessa’s husband Simon revealed their son Nicholas , 10, was now off life support
Large white floral bouquets filled the inside of the church and adorned the white coffin that sat at the centre of the large service.
Ms Tadros’s husband, Simon, flew back from their son’s hospital bedside in Queensland for the ceremony and was seen kissing his wife’s coffin before it was taken inside the church.
Their son Nicholas, 10, survived the crash with major injuries but has now come off life support.
In a tearful tribute, Mr Tadros called his wife his ‘beautiful rose’ and thanked everyone for coming to the Maronite ceremony.
Hew added: ‘To my beautiful wife, I will always love you, no matter what.
‘I know you will always be with me and Nicholas. Rest in peace beautiful.’
The family were visiting the Gold Coast on holiday when the fatal crash happened.
Simon Tadros, husband of Vanessa Tadros, was seen kissing her coffin outside the church
Large white floral bouquets filled the inside of the church and adorned the white coffin that sat at the centre of the large service
Family and friends (pictured) gathered to remember the devoted mother
Mourners began gathering at St John The Beloved Church at Mt Druitt, Sydney, at 10.30am on Monday for the service for Vanessa Tadros
Mourners lined up to say their last goodbye to the devoted mother
He has undergone five operations for surgery over six hours on broken bones in both legs and his left hand, revealed Mr Tadros.
‘Nicky has been off life support now for a few days and his body has responded very well, still on the ventilator machine to support his breathing,’ he said Mr Tadros in a Facebook update.
‘They have lowered his sedation medicine at times to see if he is responsive and he has woken up and able to respond to some questions with a nod or shake of the head.
‘He is also able to hold my hand but still no movement in his legs yet but have been advised that could be due to the broken bones in both his legs.
‘Due to the pain and distress and anxiety levels they have had to sedate him again for now.
‘He has a couple of surgeries next week. One on Tuesday and a major operation on his right ankle on Friday, so pray that all goes well.’
Helicopter chief pilot Ashley Jenkinson and newlyweds Ron and Diane Hughes, on honeymoon from the UK, were also killed in the crash
Floral tributes have been left on shoreline overlooking the spot where four died in the Sea World Helicopter tragedy on January 2
On Sunday, about 200 mourners formed a human chain near the site of the crash as part of a vigil for the people affected by the fatal incident.
The ceremony was held at Broadwater Parklands, metres from where four people died when their joy ride from the popular Queensland theme park went terribly wrong.
Gold Coast local Chantal Clarke organised Sunday’s vigil to pay respects to the victims and begin the healing process.
Participants were invited to join hands in a ‘chain of support’ for those killed, the survivors, and their families.
On Sunday, about 200 mourners formed a human chain near the site of the crash as part of a vigil for the people affected by the fatal incident
Well-wishers gathered to mourn those who died and hope for a full recovery for those injured in the tragedy
‘Our city is known as being the place of dreams, the place of holidays, not the place of death,’ Ms Clarke told NCA NewsWire.
‘I felt it was very important that people came together, acknowledged it and showed support for each other and for the families. ‘Ms Clarke thanked everybody who had supported the community and the victims in the wake of the crashy, especially the Kombumerri traditional owners.
Kombumerri community representative Justine Dillon led the vigil on Sunday.
‘We all felt it, we all got really sad feeling such a tragedy on our country,’ she told NCA NewsWire.
‘We’re very connected so we can feel the country’s hurting and the people, the community. And we need community to help us, so we’re here for them.’
Ms Dillon welcomed attendees to country and invited them to participate in a smoking ceremony in which they had ochre painted on them.
Lemongrass was added to the small eucalyptus fire to help heal the area from the hurt inflicted on it by the crash.
The group then walked down to the shore where people, including strangers, held each other’s hands and looked across the water towards Sea World to pay their respects.