The New Zealand triplets, two-year-old Lillie, Jackson and Willsher Weekes, who died in Doha’s Villaggio mall fire on May 28, were remembered in an emotional and uplifting ceremony yesterday at St Paul’s Cathedral in Wellington by about 400 friends and family.
Martin and Jane Weekes speak at a public memorial service of their triplets yesterday at St Pauls Cathedral, Wellington, New Zealand, as a picture of the children is shown on the screen. Seen in front of the altar are the coffins
Speaking at the public memorial service, parents Martin and Jane Weekes said the light and excitement their “three little monkeys” brought to their lives would be irreplaceable, Marlborough Express reported.
In recalling their fondness for baking, swimming and pushing “every button they could find”, Martin Weekes said the children lived their lives in a state of happy mayhem.
“They were three special yet very different little people, all from the same recipe. Each different and so special in their own way.”
Martin recalled anecdotes about each of his children. Talking about Lillie, nicknamed Peanut, he said: “Ironically at the age of 12 months we found that our little peanut was allergic to peanuts.”
“Despite her size or rather lack of it she was a pocket rocket, a chatter box, our climbing tree monkey, a little princess with the bite of a tiny Rottweiler, and the most affectionate and cuddly child.”
“Lillie loved Tinkerbell, in fact I think she may even be Tinkerbell. She was as close to a little fairy as you could be albeit a mischievous little fairy.”
Jackson, known as Jacky, had far better table manners than his two siblings and had an obsession with cleaning, Martin said.
“He was a compulsive cleaner. He would constantly be picking up the broom, or following along behind us cleaning as he went. If left to his own devices he would pull apart anything he could find, but would always clean it up again afterwards.”
But for Jane the most special moments with Jacky came at night, when her son would bring his favourite blue pillow into his parents’ room and spend a few quiet moments cuddled up with his mother.
Colourful balloons being released yesterday in front of St Paul’s Cathedral, Wellington, New Zealand, at a public memorial service for the Weekes triplets killed in Doha’s Villaggio mall fire on May 28
“I would pull him and his blue pillow up onto the bed and he would just cuddle in next to me for five or 10 minutes. Then I would take him and the pillow back to his room and he would settle in quietly to sleep.”
Willsher, known as Winkie, was more shy than his brother and sister, but always seemed to capture everyone’s attention, Martin said.
“He loved to smile and laugh, and he really loved to eat. Winkie would eat with two spoons - one in each hand - shovelling food into his mouth as quickly as he could.
“If we had something different on our plates he wanted some too, and if we had seconds then he would always say he wanted more too.”
When the triplets were born they were gifted three identical bears by a family member, which before long were all adopted by Winkie as a singular bear when his siblings moved on to other toys, Martin recalled.
The much-loved bear would be carried all over the house, and when one of them became slightly smelly it would get thrown in the wash while another bear was opted in.
But most of all Winkie loved to hold your hand, Jane said. “If he wanted to go anywhere to do anything he would take your hand and say ‘Mummy, come on’. He just loved to be close.”
The triplets’ three half-siblings Natalya, Tatjana and Nikolai spoke of the fun and energy their little brothers and sister brought to their lives.
“The time and memories I have shared with them mean the world to me and I will take them everywhere I go,” Natalya said.
“Not a moment in my day passes without thinking about them and wondering what they are up to. I am so grateful that they entered into not only my life, but everyone elses’ as well.”
Tatjana said she loved her three young siblings so much and would always cherish the adventures they had while travelling around the world. “I miss you all. You walk beside us every day.”
The pews at St Paul’s Cathedral on Molesworth St steadily filled with people clad in the children’s favourite colours of purple, blue and pink - a request from the family to celebrate their young lives.
Songs at the service included Morning Has Broken, Over the Rainbow, and All Things Bright and Beautiful.
Family and friends from around the world attended the service, including the children’s nanny from the Philippines and assistant nanny from Nepal.
With the tunes of Rocket Man playing in the background, images of the three children were displayed on screens at the front of the cathedral, next to the three colourful caskets decorated with flowers.
The family welcomed donations to the Wellington Neonatal Trust in remembrance of the triplets. A private funeral for family and close friends followed the Wellington service before the triplets were buried together at Karori cemetery.
Nineteen people, including 13 children and four teachers of Gympanzee nursery, and two fire fighters perished in the Villaggio fire.