Coomera ‘rope swing’ death: Watch high school student’s powerful graduation speech that brought teachers to tears weeks before he died in a freak accident

A ‘star graduate’ opened up about how school turned his life around weeks before he tragically plummeted to his death at a popular river.

Manaia Tither-Asiata, 18, fell about 15m down an embankment at the Coomera River on the Gold Coast on Sunday night.

The apprentice barber and musician was treated at the scene by paramedics as distraught family and friends helplessly watched on but couldn’t be revived.

The teen recently graduated from Men of Business Academy, a high school for years 11 and 12 set up to help disadvantaged boys finish their education and turn troubled lives around.

The school is run by 2024 Australian of the Year for Queensland Marco Renai, who led the outpouring of tributes.

‘I think he was an angel that was taken from us too early,’ Mr Renai told the ABC.

‘He was a leader, and he inspired not only our boys, but our community, our teachers, our staff … he was just so special.

‘I think all loss is hard … but you know, this one has absolutely cut deeply.’ 

The teen suffered head, chest and pelvic injuries on the banks of the river in Maudsland, near Riverbreeze Crescent.

At the embankment’s location, there is both a rope swing and a rope to help people get back up from the river. 

It remains unclear whether Mr Tither-Asiata was playing on the rope swing or if he trying to climb the embankment when tragedy struck, the Courier-Mail reported. 

As well as being a great student, the teen also raised vital funds for his school.

‘That’s the type of human he was. He would do anything for anyone and supported everybody’s growth,’ Mr Renai said.

‘I don’t even know how to explain that you just saw so much about to happen in his journey, and so much life changed, not just for him, but for everyone around him.’

At his graduation ceremony last month, Mr Tither-Asiata said while he was happy to have finished, ‘it will leave a sour taste, having to move on from this wonderful place’.

As the star pupil, he was named the 2024 ‘Mobster of the year’ by the secondary college.

‘I want to thank every staff member that walks these hallways and makes this place more than just a place. Over these two years I’ve grown in ways I couldn’t have fathomed,’ he told attendees as Mr Renai proudly watched on metres away.

Men of Business Academy founder Marco Renai  (left) described the recent graduate (right) as an angel and a leader

‘I learnt not only about myself, but the people around me. I can stand here today and say that there hasn’t been a day passed by that I haven’t loved’.

He said that he and many of the other students had developed strong bonds ‘with the teachers, the mentor and also each other’.

‘I’ve gained more in these halls than I have anywhere else on the planet … I am a part of MOB and MOB is a part of me.’

Mr Tither-Asiata said he didn’t have ‘much direction’ when he started as the school as a 16-year-old, but had loved learning since then.

‘MOB is not just a school. We do learn, but I found MOB to be my rock … I can freely express myself and actually be heard,’ he said. 

‘This place will forever have a place in my heart … thank you for supporting us all in our dreams.’ 

An emotional Mr Renai was seen wiping back tears during the speech and shared a warm embrace with his star student on stage afterwards.

The teen suffered head, chest and pelvic injuries from the accident on the banks of the Coomera River (pictured)

As flowers were left at the scene of the tragedy on Monday, friends of Mr Tither-Asiata shared their grief and a fundraiser was set up for his family. 

Friend Virginia Baxter wrote on social media that Mr Tither-Asiata’s sudden death was ‘so very sad’. 

‘I don’t even know how to explain that you just saw so much about to happen in his journey, and so much life changed, not just for him, but for everyone around him,’ she wrote.

Gold Coast mayor Tom Tate expressed his sympathies to Mr Tither-Asiata’s family on Monday. 

‘It’s devastating when a young life is lost,’ he said. 

‘What I understand is he’s off a swing rope and he hit the bank and basically didn’t recover.

‘Our procedure is that it will be totally investigated, and the rope has got to come down.’

The council also vowed to assist police with their ongoing probe into the tragedy.

‘The City will assist authorities in their investigation into this tragic incident,’ a spokeswoman said.

‘The City Administration proactively removes rope swings in public spaces when we become aware of them.’