CROWD: John Keegan (inset) will be farewelled in a service at Orange PCYC (main) on Friday morning, the venue chosen to fit as many people as possible under COVID-safe guidelines.
An enormous crowd is expected to turn out to celebrate John Keegan's life on Friday morning including a huge cohort of his James Sheahan Catholic High School peers, with a pupil free day allowing them to properly farewell their friend.
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John was killed while helping an injured couple after a two-car collision outside Orange on July 2 - he was a passenger in one of those cars - before a truck crashed into both vehicles. The year 10 student died at the scene.
His funeral will be at Orange PCYC from 11am on Friday before the wake at Endeavour Oval.
Support will stay in place for as long as people need it, to help dealing and coping with the grief.
- James Sheahan principal Peter Meers
"We did already have the pupil free day in place on Friday for a Staff Spirituality Day. If it wasn't a pupil free day, of course we would have allowed students and staff to attend the funeral, to celebrate John's life," James Sheahan principal Peter Meers said.
"We have changed the Staff Spirituality Day as well to allow staff members to attend the funeral, some who were closer to him and the family will stay on for the wake I'm sure, but those wish to return to school can.
"I'll certainly be attending, and I imagine there will be a very large group of students and staff who will too."
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Mr Meers once again sent his condolences to John's family and friends, explaining the school will continue offering support to any students or staff for as long as they require help.
"Absolutely, that support will stay in place for as long as people need it, to help dealing and coping with the grief, we're also in very close contact with the family and we'll continue to be with John's siblings still being at school," he said.
"John was a very popular kid, he had friends everywhere in the school and outside as well. He was obviously very keen on football in both codes and was a wonderful young man, he impacted a lot of people's lives.
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People have flocked to support the Keegan family, in particular via a GoFundMe campaign. Set up by Georgia Gibson, the campaign has now ticked over to almost $81,000 with almost 30 donations of $400 or more.
The funds will assist funeral costs, tragically not just for John's service but also his grandmother's. She lost her battle with illness on the same day as the crash which took her grandson's life.
Along with friends, families and well-wishers, sporting clubs and organisations like Orange Netball Association, CYMS Junior Rugby League, Group 10 Junior Rugby League all donated funds to the campaign.
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John played rugby league for CYMS and rugby union for Orange City, with the former club announcing all of its teams will retire their number 12 jerseys this weekend and sling them over chairs on the bench in honour of the teenager.
The larger venues have been chosen to accommodate as many people as possible under COVID-safe guidelines, with John's funeral notice welcoming "anyone who has been touched by John's beautiful soul".
The service will be live-streamed, for anyone not able to attend.
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Formerly a sports specialist, I'm based at Orange and shift between wide-spread range of subjects here and, often, across the entire Central West region of NSW as well.I have almost a decade of experience in the media and marketing industries both here in Australia and internationally, along with journalism I have experience in content strategy, brand development, and digital and social media.Along the way, I've been fortunate to win a handful of media awards and be nominated for several others too.
Formerly a sports specialist, I'm based at Orange and shift between wide-spread range of subjects here and, often, across the entire Central West region of NSW as well.I have almost a decade of experience in the media and marketing industries both here in Australia and internationally, along with journalism I have experience in content strategy, brand development, and digital and social media.Along the way, I've been fortunate to win a handful of media awards and be nominated for several others too.
