‘Tears won’t bring you back because I’ve cried. I’ve cried and cried,’ mother of teen killed in escooter crash tells funeral

The funeral of a teenager who loved football and had plans to travel to South Africa before he was tragically killed when an escooter he was on was in collision with a bus has taken place in Waterford.

Avu Idris (17), who died along with his friend Gilbert Collins (15) in the crash, had just completed his Leaving Cert. Mourners at the Maranatha Christian Community Church in Poleberry heard how Avu was a leader and a shining example to others.

His mother Priscilla said she “thanked God for giving me Avu and for caring for him for 17 years”.

“In life I have learned that there are some bad and good days, this was the worst and saddest day in my life…Avu, tears won’t bring you back because I’ve cried. I’ve cried and cried. Avu loved football and he lived football. He always wanted to see his team winning, and he would be screaming at his team-mates because he wanted them to win.”

She was going to miss “his smile, his jokes, and our arguments”.

“We always argued about doing his laundry and his habit of missing the bus. I’ll think of all the good times we had with Avu. Go well, my son, I’ll always love you.”

His sister Noora said his words would “encourage me, lift me up in life…I will forever love you.”

As his funeral cortege, flanked by a guard of honour from Villa Football Club and De La Salle Community College, made its final journey to Kilbarry Cemetery, tears were wiped from many faces as the Maranatha Youth group sang behind the hearse.

The funeral of his friend Gilbert Collins took place on Tuesday.