A grieving mother who lost her son in a horror crash a fortnight ago has issued a passionate plea to young drivers to stay safe on the roads.
Cohen Griggs-Bufton, 16, was one of six occupants in a Toyota Hilux that crashed into a tree in Bayview near Sydney’s Northern Beaches on October 7.
The popular Narrabeen Sports High School student, who was sitting in the front passenger seat at the time died at the scene.
Friends and loved ones gathered at Cohen’s funeral in Pittwater on Saturday to farewell the ‘cheeky, loveable’ teen.
His mum Lindy Griggs fought back tears as she delivered a powerful plea to his friends and schoolmates.
She hopes teens will learn from the tragedy so that their families don’t go through the same nightmare.
Cohen Griggs-Bufton, 16, was in the front passenger seat of a Toyota Hilux that crashed into a tree in Bayview shortly after midnight on October 7
Cohen’s mother Lindy pleaded with teens to take care on the roads at his funeral on Saturday
‘If there is any good that can come from such a tragedy it will be that this will stop someone else making the same mistake and save a life,’ Ms Griggs told mourners, as reported by the Daily Telegraph.
‘Someone else’s family doesn’t have to go through so much pain. With all my heart Cohen I love you always and forever.’
Ms Griggs said the last two weeks felt like a lifetime and that life will never be the same again.
‘We’re counting every breath. You brought us so much joy, so cheeky and were so loveable,’ she said.
‘And for a fleeting moment, he’s still here, but then the dread sets in and that longing feeling that something’s missing.
‘My beautiful boy, I will never ever forget your precious smile or how you lit up the room.’
Friends paid tribute to the avid skater who they called ‘Co Co’ for short.
His aunt referred to Cohen as the ‘cheese and bacon’ boy for his love of toasties before recalling the memory of a family holiday in the Gold Coast when he was six.
‘We realised he was missing … we found him with the sales girls [in a skate shop] organising a sponsorships for a major brand,’ she told mourners.
‘He was telling them it was an opportunity of a lifetime to get him on board early as he was going to be a huge name in skateboarding.’
‘He said ‘it’s going to be expensive, at least six bucks fifty.’
Cohen was remembered as a skateboarder who had left a positive impact on classmates at Narrabeen Sports High School where he was a student
All six teens travelling in the Hilux were taken to hospital after the crash
Cohen’s friends back tears as they lined up to place a hand on his coffin.
The minister to conducted the service reiterated Ms Griggs’ plea.
Paul Simpson told mourners that ‘some mistakes you only get to make once’.
‘I don’t know exactly what happened that night, I was certainly not there, but we know one life was lost and we know that five lives have been changed,’ Minister Simpson said.
‘And as we gather here today, I want to say particularly to the young people you need to remember this day. You need to remember this day and you need to remember that life is fragile and easily lost.’
An online fundraiser has raised almost $50,000 to help Cohen’s family.
Cohen (pictured) was a popular student at Narrabeen Sports High School
Police later revealed one of the occupants wasn’t wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash.
Cohen was in the front passenger seat of the Hilux while four other boys, aged 16 and 17, were in the back seat.
The other passengers were rushed to the Royal North Shore Hospital by paramedics who were called to the scene.
Police said the 17-year-old red P-plate driver was airlifted to Royal Prince Alfred Hospital.
The driver has not been charged with any criminal offences.
The crash scene was awash with flowers, two skateboards, a teddy bear and a bottle of Coopers beer in a makeshift memorial left at the base of the tree where the Hilux crashed.
Messages of love and grief were written on the back of the skateboards, including one that reads: ‘Love ya mate, rest easy’.
One local who called triple-zero described hearing two loud bangs and then when they went to investigate finding the wreck and two boys who had climbed out ‘withering’ on the side of the road.
Investigators are examining whether alcohol, drugs or speed was a factor in the crash or whether the driver overshot a turn just before where the tree is located.
The tree was previously the site of another fatal crash in 2003 with locals saying speed humps should be built before the sharp bend.
Friends have set up a GoFundMe for the tragic teenager’s family: ‘This shouldn’t be happening, he was taken way too soon’
A makeshift memorial was erected at the crash site less than a day after the crash, with friends leaving skateboards, flowers, a bottle of Coopers beer and a teddy bear in Cohen’s memory
Messages were written on the bottom of the skateboards by grieving friends who expressed their sadness at the passing of Cohen
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