Radio Queen and cat lover Sammy Power is laid to rest in a wicker coffin

Hundreds of mourners have laid to rest troubled radio presenter Sammy Power at a star-studded ceremony.

The 55-year-old struggled with alcoholism and dropped half her body weight before she was found dead at home earlier this month.

She battled with her mental health for years after quitting radio in 2012, describing herself as ‘dead inside’.

 

Hundreds of mourners have laid to rest troubled radio presenter Sammy Power at a star-studded ceremony (pictured in her order of service)

Tearful mourners carry the wicker coffin out of the church after the funeral service

Tearful mourners carry the wicker coffin out of the church after the funeral service

Power's mother Jan is supported by friends and family as she leaves the service

Power’s mother Jan is supported by friends and family as she leaves the service

Family stand together as they watch the coffin on its journey to the hearse before it is taken to the cemetery to be put in its final resting place

Family stand together as they watch the coffin on its journey to the hearse before it is taken to the cemetery to be put in its final resting place

Old friends and colleagues flocked to Power’s funeral on Friday at St Agatha’s Parish in Clayfield, Brisbane, to celebrate her life on and off air.

They included Mike Goldman, famous for being the voice of Big Brother, celebrity chef Alistair McLeod, and Power’s former co-host Bianca Dye.

Her wicker coffin, covered in flowers, left the church to the sound of bagpipes to be taken to the cemetery after friends and family paid tribute at the service.

Psalms and a reading from the Bible’s book of Matthew were included in the religious service to farewell the beloved broadcaster.

Mourners follow the coffin as it is loaded into the back of a hearse

Mourners follow the coffin as it is loaded into the back of a hearse

Her coffin, covered in flowers, arrives at St Agatha's Parish in Clayfield, Brisbane, for the funeral

Her coffin, covered in flowers, arrives at St Agatha’s Parish in Clayfield, Brisbane, for the funeral

The coffin was made of wicker instead of the usual solid wood and driven in a Mercedes hearse

The coffin was made of wicker instead of the usual solid wood and driven in a Mercedes hearse

Mourners break down in tears after the emotion ceremony to Power inside the church

Mourners break down in tears after the emotion ceremony to Power inside the church

Celebrity chef Alistair McLeod was among stars who arrived to say farewell to Power

Celebrity chef Alistair McLeod was among stars who arrived to say farewell to Power

Mike Goldman, famous for being the voice of Big Brother, and fiancée Bianca were among the mourners

Mike Goldman, famous for being the voice of Big Brother, and fiancée Bianca were among the mourners

Friends arrived with their small children in tow wearing black to mark the occasion

Friends arrived with their small children in tow wearing black to mark the occasion

Power friend Bianca Dye climbs the stairs to the church ahead of the service

Power friend Bianca Dye climbs the stairs to the church ahead of the service

Mourners were sharply dressed as they arrived and shielded their eyes from the summer glare

Television presenter Dean Miller arrives to pay his respects

Power was a star of Sydney radio station Triple M before she quit and moved back to Queensland to help her ill mother run the family business, Farmers Markets

In her final months Power flooded her Instagram account with images of cats as well as selfies with her mother Jan at home in Hendra, north Brisbane.

One picture taken in August showed her wearing a black t-shirt bearing the words ‘I’m troubled’. 

Power was a star of Sydney radio station Triple M before she quit and moved back to Queensland to help her ill mother run the family business, Farmers Markets.

When she left the airwaves after 28 years in entertainment, she warned she was ‘burnt out’ and ‘over it’.

A pink-haired mother and her child turned up to pay their respects to the departed radio host

A pink-haired mother and her child turned up to pay their respects to the departed radio host

A more colourfully-dressed couple held hands as they walked along the path to the church

A more colourfully-dressed couple held hands as they walked along the path to the church

Mourners hold hands as they arrive at Power's funeral weeks after her unexpected death

Mourners hold hands as they arrive at Power’s funeral weeks after her unexpected death

Whole families including this one made their way to the solemn service on Friday

Whole families including this one made their way to the solemn service on Friday

The order of service for the funeral on Friday

Psalms and a reading from the Bible's book of Matthew were included in the religious service to farewell the beloved broadcaster

Psalms and a reading from the Bible’s book of Matthew were included in the religious service to farewell the beloved broadcaster

The funeral service was held at on Friday at St Agatha's Parish in Clayfield, Brisbane

The funeral service was held at on Friday at St Agatha’s Parish in Clayfield, Brisbane

On her 50th birthday in 2014, she spoke about her mental health in a candid interview with the Courier-Mail.

‘I just kept living but I was dead inside,’ she said.

‘I didn’t even like going out. I knew I was going to be disgusting, crying and singing because I was so miserable.’

To celebrate her birthday she married a cardboard cut-out of herself in front of 120 of her friends and family in fancy dress.

Three years later, Power revealed she lost a dramatic amount of weight.

She went from 120kg to 60kg after quitting smoking and drinking and embarking on a brutal personal training regime. 

One picture (above) taken in August 2019 showed Power wearing a black t-shirt bearing the words 'I'm troubled' next to her mother Jan

One picture (above) taken in August 2019 showed Power wearing a black t-shirt bearing the words ‘I’m troubled’ next to her mother Jan

Power (pictured in 2016) was a star of Sydney Radio station Triple M before she quit in 2012 and moved back to Queensland to help her ill mother run the family business, Farmers Markets

Power (pictured in 2016) was a star of Sydney Radio station Triple M before she quit in 2012 and moved back to Queensland to help her ill mother run the family business, Farmers Markets

Power shared images such as this one taken in September of herself at home with cats to her 752 Instagram followers

Power shared images such as this one taken in September of herself at home with cats to her 752 Instagram followers

Sammy Power’s life 

1964: Power is born in Queensland to an eighth-generation Aussie family

1990s and 2000s: Power works as a breakfast host for Hit90.9 Gold Coast, Sydney radio station Triple M (after the great comedian Doug Mulray) and also Illawarra station 96.5 Wave FM

2012: Power quits radio saying she is ‘over it’ and goes back to Brisbane to live with her mother Jan and work for the family business Farmers Markets

2014: Power turns 50 and marries a cardboard cut-out of herself. She gives a candid interview about her mental health and reveals she was ‘dead inside’

2017: Power reveals she lost half her body weight with personal training and by giving up alcohol and cigarettes

2019: Power shares several images of herself with cats from her Brisbane home before she is found dead in December 

In a 2017 interview with the Brisbane Times, she said a bad break-up fuelled her desire to lose weight.

‘I was involved with a nightmare man but I’m grateful to him because it blew up my whole world and I’ve done so many amazing things since I realised what sort of person I want in my life,’ she said.

‘I’ve got better vision and standards. I have decided to surround myself with people who lift me up and are on the same page as me.’ 

She also said she was keen to start working in the media again.  

‘I am a funny person, I am entertaining, I can do it now, I was burnt out before but I am ready now,’ she said.

But she couldn’t shake her demons and two years later she was found dead in her bedroom.

A family spokesman told Daily Mail Australia: ‘Sammy Power was a colourful, funny, and gregarious person whose greatest quality was her unbridled generosity and kind heart. 

‘Sammy saw the good in everyone and brought colour, vibrancy and a sharp wit to every conversation and every situation. She was creative and absolutely unique, something that is truly rare.

‘She is survived by her Mother Jan, Father John, Sister Astrid and Nieces Emily, Olivia and India, all of whom are shocked and overwhelmed by her loss. They respectfully ask that all speculation and comment cease and that the family is allowed to grieve privately at this time.’  

In a 2017 interview with the Brisbane Times, Power (pictured in the early 2000s) said a bad break-up fuelled her desire to lose weight

Power is pictured in the early days of her career

In a 2017 interview with the Brisbane Times, Power (pictured in the early 2000s) said a bad break-up fuelled her desire to lose weight

To celebrate her 50th birthday in 2014 she married a cardboard cut-out of herself in front of 120 of her friends and family in fancy dress. Pictured: The wedding

To celebrate her 50th birthday in 2014 she married a cardboard cut-out of herself in front of 120 of her friends and family in fancy dress. Pictured: The wedding 

Friends of the Queensland woman, once dubbed the ‘Queen of Radio’, confirmed her death earlier this month. 

Tributes have flooded in for the much-loved personality, with friends and colleagues remembering her as a ‘gifted’ and intelligent’ woman.

‘Very shocked and saddened to hear about the death of Sammy Power,’ ABC Brisbane breakfast radio host Loretta Ryan tweeted.

‘I can still hear her talking about her cats and her infectious laugh.’

‘First Gary Ord and now Sammy Power. We’ve lost two Brisbane breakfast radio presenters within a week. Stunned,’ former radio presenter Spencer Howson tweeted.

‘When Sammy was ‘on,’ she made the sun shine on you, and that was a real gift of hers,’ a friend who requested to remain anonymous told The Courier Mail.

‘She had a wicked sense of humour, but she got sucked in by all these people who tried to help her, all they were after was her money. 

In her final months Power flooded her Instagram account with images of cats as well as selfies (above in 2019)

In her final months Power flooded her Instagram account with images of cats as well as selfies (above in 2019)

Former radio personality Sammy Power (pictured in 2016) has died at the age of 55

Former radio personality Sammy Power (pictured in 2016) has died at the age of 55

Ms Power (pictured in 2016) said she was 'fat and didn't have a boyfriend' with both factors leading her to make a dramatic change

Ms Power (pictured in 2016) said she was ‘fat and didn’t have a boyfriend’ with both factors leading her to make a dramatic change

‘I think her body just gave out – she was one minute telling people she was sober, but the next was going home and drinking – people who saw her recently said she was ‘completely yellow,’ which is a sign of liver failure.’

Power left her 28-year radio career in 2014 to help her mother run her market business, which sparked a new focus on her body and a dramatic change in her life.

In an interview with Daily Mail Australia in 2017, Power opened up on her previous health and weight issues. 

She said she was ‘fat and didn’t have a boyfriend’ and both became factors in why she ultimately decided to make a change. 

Power (pictured in a 2019 selfie) couldn't shake her demons was found dead in her bedroom

Power (pictured in a 2019 selfie) couldn’t shake her demons was found dead in her bedroom

Power celebrated her 50th birthday by marrying - and then divorcing - herself in 2014. Pictured: The wedding

Power celebrated her 50th birthday by marrying – and then divorcing – herself in 2014. Pictured: The wedding

Power also said she covered her bathroom in motivational quotes to help her lose weight.

‘I was carrying around an entire extra person and I wanted to break up with that person,’ she said at the time.  

‘I would be stuffing down extra Twix and Mars bars without even realising. You know at around 2.30pm when you’re tired and eat 700 biscuits? I needed to have an electric shock practically to stop doing that.’  

The media personality found writing down what she was eating every day opened her eyes to how many extra calories she was consuming.

‘My bathroom wall looks like a psycho’s out of CSI. It’s covered in quotes. My favourite ones are Nike’s ‘just do it’ and ‘day one or one day – you decide’,’ she said.  

Power stepped away from radio to enjoy a more quiet life out of the limelight, and grew her mother’s market business from humble beginnings in a Gold Coast car park to three thriving locations in Manly, New Farm and Mitchelton.

For confidential 24/7 support, call Lifeline on 131 114 or Beyond Blue 1300 224 636. 

After becoming fed up with her weight, Power decided to make a change, and began training five days a week with her personal trainer Simon Kerle

After becoming fed up with her weight, Power decided to make a change, and began training five days a week with her personal trainer Simon Kerle

Read more at DailyMail.co.uk