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Hundreds gather to farewell Stuart Kelly
Hundreds of people gathered at The King’s School in Sydney yesterday for the funeral of Stuart Kelly, the brother of one-punch victim Thomas Kelly.
Stuart, 19, took his own life last month, four years after the death of his Thomas, who was killed during an unprovoked attack in 2012. It’s believed that bullying and death threats received in response to his family’s campaign for tougher laws against drunken violence in NSW are the reason behind Stuart’s death.
His parents, Ralph and Kathy, and sister Madeleine, remembered Stuart fondly at a funeral service held at the chapel of Kings, where he graduated last year.
"Keep our beautiful boys in your hearts... go home and hug your children," Kathy Kelly said in the same place she had farewelled her other teenage son four years ago.
"Even though you were my little brother, I began to look at you in awe," Madeleine said. "You were taller than me, bigger than me, funnier than me and sometimes even more mature than me and always took life head on."
She urged her two brothers to “please wait for me” and “take care of each other”.
Ralph Kelly said Stuart's determination "to make a difference in this world" amazed him.
The funeral was attended by Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, wife Lucy Turnbull and Premier Mike Baird, as well as hundreds of Stuart's friends.
Our thoughts are with the Kelly family during this tragic time.
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