Family and friends of former Royal Marine Brett Williams were expected to celebrate his life at a funeral service in the UK.
|||Durban - Family and friends of former Royal Marine Brett Williams were expected to celebrate his life at a funeral service on Thursday in a small village church in the UK.
Part of the service at midday on Thursday at St Marys Church in Bishops Lydeard, Somerset, was to have military honours, his fiancée, Louise Scott, said last night.
Three of his South African relatives, including his uncle Steve Williams, arrived in the UK last night. His mother, who lives in Liverpool, also travelled four hours by train to Somerset.
Williams would be dressed in full military uniform with his medals, Scott said.
South African-born Brett, 29, died at a rugby after-party at the Sharks/Melbourne Rebels game on March 23.
He was attacked on the outer fields by five men who allegedly punched and kicked him.
Scott, who knew Williams for more than seven years, said she would pay tribute to him.
She e-mailed a copy of her eulogy to the Daily News.
In it she described Williams as her “world” and a man who would have done anything for her and her daughter.
“Anybody who knows Brett and I as a couple would know he was my world. He would have done absolutely anything for me.”
She said he was extremely protective over her and their four-year-old daughter Lailah.
“His main goal was to make a better life for Lailah and I. He planned so much for us all.”
She said Williams had encouraged her in many ways.
“It was because of him I started doing my paintings again and I went back to university.
“He endeavoured to make sure that we got anything that we wanted or needed.
“His presence in my life was such I needed nobody else in it. When he was away with the Corp or on transits he would always find a way of contacting me.
“He knew I would be at home waiting patiently. He knew I would wait.”
She said the pain of the past few weeks had been eased through the support of family and friends.
“Brett was a warrior, strong and brave. He had a generous loving heart. I do have a rage and sorrow inside of me the likes of which I have never experienced.”
Scott said in the past few weeks she had had some desperate moments and some quiet times.
“It is in the quiet times I have heard Brett say: ‘Lou you need to keep it together for Lailah.’ So that is what I am doing.”
She appealed to friends and family to let go of the anger and fill their hearts with love for Williams.
“We need to tell him that we will be okay and that Lailah will have 100 big brothers to take care of her.
“I have to believe he has been called back for now.
“I always felt privileged that Brett chose to be with me.
“He is my heartbeat and to me he is just on another transit and I will see him again soon.”
Scott said she had also penned a poem for Williams which she would read at the funeral service.
It reads:
Beautiful moments passing through life are so precious and rare
Like when clumsy love stumbled through our hearts, I followed with care
Your flame was bright and shone with strength
But, its light could not last long
Now that it’s gone, my soul searches with its longing song
Our foolish hearts with clouded head rushed in where angels feared to tread
Always blinded by our light I would run to find you across the night
I could have ignored your calls and chose to stay at home
But, then like now, I still would have been alone
So better to love briefly and soon lose my wings then never to hear the angels sing
My heartbeat stopped. My light has died.
My heart is broken in two… Brett my beautiful moment was you.
Daily News