They were lined up in the hundreds, along with an unprecedented farewell motorcade and standing room only inside with crowds overflowing outside St. Kevin's Roman Catholic Church in The Goulds Thursday morning for the funeral of nine-year-old Nevaeh Denine.
Nevaeh, heaven spelled backwards, passed away Monday after a very courageous battle with childhood cancer.
She was beloved by people across the province, and elsewhere by anyone who heard her story.
A fond lover of antique cars, motorcycles and big rigs, the funeral procession included more than 100 cars from the Newfoundland Antique and Classic Car Club, several motorcycles, numerous tow trucks with their lights flashing and even several City of St. John's big green collection trucks lined up in front of the church sounding their air horns.
Royal Newfoundland Constabulary mounted unit members Const. Kelsie Aboud and Const. George Horan saluted on their horses Harvey and Dr. Rich as the Barrett’s Funeral Home hearse drove onto the church parking lot.
As well, there were thousands of balloons lining the Main Road leading into the Goulds towards St. Kevin’s attached to utility poles, homes, businesses and vehicles.
Premier Dwight Ball, Finance Minister Tom Osborne and MHA Keith Hutchings also attended the mass.
The premier in a tweet said the province will honour Nevaeh’s legacy by lighting the Confederation Building yellow Thursday night. And as the procession reached the church area, several hundred mourners lined both sides of the street holding balloons and wearing bright-coloured clothing.
And some folks did say the crowds at the funeral reminded them of last summer’s Chase The Ace, which she enjoyed and was supported by Neveah’s Lemonade Stand.
