A memorial was held on Tuesday, Jan. 21, for Honor Ward, who died along with Beau Liddell at Wappa Falls on the Sunshine Coast after Liddell tried to save WardA neighbor remembered Ward as someone who went out of her way to say hello to peopleAdam Liddell, Beau’s father, earlier said that “the whole family is just a mess” following his son’s death
More than 100 friends and family members gathered for a vigil in Australia this week to remember two teenagers who drowned at a waterfall last weekend when one of them jumped into the water to try and save the other.
The memorial was held on Tuesday evening, Jan. 21, at Chaplin Park in Noosaville, Queensland, for Honor Ward, 17, who died along with 17-year-old Beau Liddell on Sunday, Jan. 19, at Wappa Falls on the Sunshine Coast, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC), 7News and Noosa Today reported.
“We allowed pets in the store,” Eleanor Hangeraaf, a co-worker of Ward’s at a discount store, told 7News and Noosa Today at the memorial.
“She would never let a dog past if she couldn’t pet it,” Hangeraaf said. “She would immediately run straight through the aisles for that dog, no matter what breed.”
Queensland Police said in a previous statement that emergency services responded to a call about a 17-year-old girl, later identified as Ward, who “fell off a waterfall at Wappa Falls and failed to resurface” around 2:30 p.m., local time on Sunday.
Liddell, a friend of Ward, “jumped into the water to assist locating the girl but has also failed to resurface,” authorities said.
After a search and rescue operation involving the fire department and police divers, Ward’s body was found in the water, followed four hours later by the discovery of Liddell’s body, also in the water.
“Police will prepare reports for the coroner for both the girl and the boy,” Queensland authorities said in their statement, adding, “Wappa Falls remains closed at this time as investigations continue.”
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As 7News reported, photos of Ward were spread out on park tables and surrounded by candles at Tuesday’s memorial. Soni Burke, a neighbor, remembered the teen as someone who went out of her way to say hello to people.
“She would put the bin out for the elderly lady next door,” Burke told 7News.
Ward’s older brother recalled her as tough but also “a good girl, with a good heart. I love her loads and she’ll forever be in everyone’s heart,” Noosa Today reported.
Ward’s father also praised Liddell for trying to save his daughter at the cost of his own life and called on people to remember Ward, saying, “She loved you and we loved her.”
Ahead of the memorial, Kaylee Rainbow, a friend of the teens, shared on social media that she was with Ward and Liddell when they drowned.
“There was nothing I could do,” Rainbow wrote, ABC reported. “Honor was my everything, my safe place, my constant, and now she’s gone.”
Adam Liddell, Beau’s father, earlier said that “the whole family is just a mess” following his son’s death, according to ABC.
“That’s the type of person he was,” Adam said at the time of his son trying to save his friend, adding, “He never thought of himself first.”
Both teens were former students at the Sunshine Beach State High School, ABC reported.
According to the network, at least five people had died at the same swimming spot since 2007.
Adam Liddell told ABC that steps should be taken to prevent additional deaths at the waterfall: “There could be a lot more done than a couple of little signs that say ‘dangerous water.’ “
Suzanne Soulsby, who attended the memorial for Ward, also spoke about the safety measures, telling ABC: “It should have been fenced or closed because we had all the rain.”
“We need common sense, and you don’t want to put young people’s lives at risk, or anyone’s life” she added.
A GoFundMe established for Beau has raised more than $17,000 as of Thursday, Jan. 23.
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