Hunter Valley Bus Crash: Groom, Mitchell Gaffney, speaks at his partner’s funeral
Brave Groom Who Lost 10 Of His Wedding Party In A Tragic Bus Crash Gives A Powerful Speech At His Mate’s Funeral
- Groom in bus accident at wedding speaks at partner’s funeral
- Mitchell Gaffney remembered his friend, Zach Bray, as a likeable larrikin
The groom who lost 10 of his wedding guests in the Hunter Valley bus crash last month has spoken boldly at the funeral of one of his fallen friends.
Mitchell Gaffney remembered his mate Zachary Bray, 29, as a “loving larrikin” as he addressed mourners at Macquarie Park cemetery and crematorium in North Sydney on Tuesday.
Both Mr. Bray and Mr. Gaffney played for the same AFL club, the Singleton Roosters, and became friends on and off the field.
Mr Bray was one of 10 people who died when a bus carrying 35 guests from Mr Gaffney and Madeleine Edsell’s wedding rolled near Greta on June 11.
Mitchell Gaffney remembered his mate Zachary Bray, 29, as a “loving larrikin” as he addressed mourners at North Sydney’s Macquarie Park Cemetery and Crematorium on Tuesday
Both Mr. Bray (pictured) and Mr. Gaffney played for the same AFL club, the Singleton Roosters, and became friends on and off the field
His funeral is the second to last of the 10 victims, with many of the mourners traveling to Singleton next week to honor mother and daughter, Nadine and Kyah McBride.
“While you’ll never get a chance to put on the jersey again, you’ll always be by our side,” Mr Gaffney said.
The teammates of Mr. Bray also paid tribute to the enthusiastic AFL player and other club members lost in the crash with a community run on Saturday.
Local players wore black armbands during their matches to honor the 10 victims.
Remembered as a fighter, Mrs. Bray had conquered cancer by the age of 25 and had become a staunch advocate for charitable causes.
He was also in a loving relationship at the time of his death, with his girlfriend Georgie Copeland saying, “My heart hurts and I can’t deny it.”
“I know it hurts deeply because it was deeply real.”
His mother, Jacqui Varasdi, said raising Mr. Bray was her greatest achievement.
Mr Bray was one of 10 people who died when a bus carrying 35 guests from Mr Gaffney and Madeleine Edsell’s wedding rolled near Greta (crash scene pictured)
The 35 passengers on the bus had just left the wedding of Mr. Gaffney and Madeleine Edsell (both pictured) in the Hunter Valley
“Seeing you lying here in this box just doesn’t make sense.”
An avid pilot, Mr. Bray’s father, Adam, simply memorialized him with “over and out, rest in peace my beautiful boy.”
Adam recently told 9News that he was stopped by the police when he tried to walk up the embankment towards the bus, which was still on its side, looking for his son.
“I just said, ‘My son is on that bus,’ and they said to me, ‘If your son is on that bus, you really don’t want to see him.'”
“I sat on the floor by myself and broke down for an hour.”
The bus driver at the center of the accident, 58-year-old Brett Andrew Button, was released on bail on June 13 after being charged with 10 counts of dangerous driving resulting in death.
He will appear in Newcastle District Court on August 9.