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didn't wear his heart on his sleeve. But he loved to have a gossip session with Sharyn about
parties, and who was going around with who. Not that it was heart-to-heart stuff. Chris would
give Sharyn a few bumps to remind her that she was his sister. And with Danielle the reserve
completely fell away, and Chris was a kid again, larking around with her.
'With younger children Chris had a kind of mock gruffness and a way with him that meant he
was adored. He'd muck around and they'd do anything to get noticed. I am not going to list his
achievements. It is enough to say that you couldn't help being proud of him. The presence here,
today, of his swimming coaches and his peers speaks volumes. It was important to Chris that he
was able, quite recently, to go to Queensland and to the competition in Tasmania.
'Chris's courage never faltered. But there were lots of special things that gave him a lift when his
energy was low - Aaron walking with Chris in the 400 metre trials when Chris could no longer
run - going to Def Leopard with Ross -and another highlight, Chris partnering Jane in this year's
Debutante Ball, as much a thrill for him as it was for Jane and all their friends. Then there was
the downhill skiing with the Challenge Cancer support group from the Royal Children's Hospital
- taking the MR2 for a spin with Julian - being part of a Family Thanksgiving just last Thursday -
and for all these things our hearts are full of gladness.
'Beth and Alan, you have given Chris life, and you have loved him and encouraged him in a way
that enabled him to live the whole of his life to the full. And he in his own unique way has loved
you and shared his life with you. Our hearts go out to you.'
Alan Honeycombe then stood before the congregation and spoke of his son, his voice faltering
and fading now and then, as he fought against his tears.
490
He said: 'I've spoken here on many occasions. But this is the only time I've had 18 months to
prepare what I wanted to say. And it's been my most difficult assignment.
'Thank you for sharing today with us, and for your support, cards, food and love. Special
thanks to those of you who have travelled long distances, or arranged busy schedules to enable
you to be here. We apologize in advance for not being able to greet all of you before we leave
this place, but we will catch up with you...
'If we could write the scripts of our own lives, they would almost certainly be different from the
way they have turned out, based on our understanding of the present. As Christians, we put our
lives in the hands of the God who knows the future, trusting that, in the words of St Paul, "to
those who love God, who are called according to his plan, everything that happens fits into a
pattern for good."
'People ask me: "Aren't you angry at God?" My understanding is that our God does not cause
pain and suffering. And I have ample evidence that he is with us through these trying times,
suffering with us. If there is anything that makes me angry about death, it is the people who,
when told that Christ died for them, simply shrug their shoulders, turn away and say: "I don't
care."
'Chris never expressed to us that he might be dying - probably to protect us from the pain of
such a thought; or maybe a denial that death has anything to do with 16-year-olds. The
expectation was always of improvement - perhaps the best way of coping with a life-threatening
disease. If you read through What Cancer Can't Do on the back page of the Order of Service,
you will read: "Our greatest enemy is not disease, but despair." Thank God, Chris never
despaired. He was an inspiration to us all, in the positive and determined way he approached his
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