Budding NRL star Liam Hampson has been laid to relaxation after his premature dying final month whereas partying with fellow footy gamers in Spain.
The rugby league world was left devastated after the Queensland rugby league participant went lacking for 30 hours after disappearing whereas partying with a gaggle of NRL gamers, together with Titan speedster AJ Brimson and Broncos star Jodan Riki, in Barcelona three weeks in the past.
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An estimated 1000 friends turned out at Redcliffe’s Moreton Every day Stadium on Monday, the identical place the Dolphins hooker had graced as a participant only a matter of weeks in the past within the QRL grand last towards the Norths Devils.
Pallbearers included Brimson and Riki, with the Courier Mail reporting the pair kissed the coffin and wiped away tears as they introduced it into the stadium.
Hampson’s father Brett remembered his son as a person who lived “the most effective life he may”.
“Gone too quickly, however what a tremendous 24 years it was,” Hampson senior stated, flanked by Hampson’s mum Lorna and sister Tiarna.
“Liam was stuffed with cheekiness and enjoyable and residing the most effective life he may.
“His beginning was probably the greatest moments of my life.
“Liam at all times had a footy in his arms rising up. All he wished to do was run with the ball and deal with children.
“There’s a gap we are going to by no means fill. I’ll miss my finest mate. Relaxation in peace buddy.”
His mum Lorna additionally stated Liam was “the most effective son on the earth” succeeding within the sport regardless of being advised he was too small — like his rugby league hero Johnathan Thurston.
The gang included NRL stars and the likes of Dolphins coach Wayne Bennett.
Hampson was reportedly on the radar of the NRL’s latest crew, and though he admitted that they had met simply as soon as, Bennett stated he had left impression.
“I solely met him as soon as, after the preliminary last this 12 months (when Hampson was named man-of-the-match towards Burleigh) and I used to be shocked by what a nice younger man he was,” Bennett stated.
“I didn’t see him once more.
“He had hopes of taking part in NRL, he received the participant of the match within the prelim finals and I met him after the sport.
“He was a really proficient younger man.”
The tears flowed all through the tributes to Hampson, together with Redcliffe captain Cameron Cullen added: “The Dolphins is a membership with a wealthy historical past and his legacy will final right here perpetually.”
Regardless of the tragic circumstances, it was a vibrant farewell for Hampson after his household requested friends to put on social gathering shirts and informal garments.
“As Liam may have wished we ask that these attending come wearing, as Liam would say, ‘s*** shirts and Birks’ or informal comfortable garments,” his sister Tiarna wrote on Instagram.
“We thank everybody for his or her help and for many who have reached out as we honour Liam’s reminiscence as a neighborhood, as a crew and as a household.”
Chilling CCTV footage captured the ultimate moments of Hampson’s life after he appeared to get misplaced, having walked by a safety exit. Spanish police have stated he fell 10m to his dying after scaling a 1.5m wall.
Horrified membership employees discovered Hampson’s lifeless physique on the backside of a gap in an out of doors space.
Brimson revealed heartbreaking particulars of the group’s determined makes an attempt to search out their buddy after he had gone lacking.
Brimson stated it was not in Hampson’s nature to not fail to test in along with his mates if he didn’t return to the lodge they have been all staying at collectively.
He stated he first suspected Hampson had left the membership with a lady, however quickly had fears for his buddy’s wellbeing when he didn’t test in with the group later that day.
Brimson stated he feared Hampson may have been murdered.
“That’s once we began going to police stations and embassies and from then on it was continuous till we discovered what occurred,” he stated.
“I knew what he was like and he wasn’t the kind of man that wouldn’t message us, but it surely was exhausting to get that throughout to the police. It was irritating.
“We have been making an attempt to inform the police one thing was mistaken they usually have been saying, ‘We see this on a regular basis, folks go lacking however they’re simply with a lady or one thing’.
“I knew that wasn’t Liam in any respect. We knew one thing was very mistaken by Tuesday evening.
“At worst he would have messaged us. If he obtained mugged he would have discovered his manner again. I assumed he had been murdered.”
Hampson attended Keebra Park State Excessive Faculty on the Gold Coast with Brimson earlier than the pair performed their junior rugby league collectively on the Tweed Seagulls.
Whereas Brimson moved on to the Titans, Hampson moved to the Redcliffe Dolphins in Queensland’s home rugby league competitors the place he performed as a hooker.
He had performed in 37 video games for Redcliffe, scoring 9 tries.
Brimson says he’s dedicating the remainder of his profession to Hampson.
