Hundreds of people including loved ones and rugby league icons have gathered to honour Liam Hampson at a funeral for the aspiring NRL star.
The Redcliffe Dolphins star died in Barcelona last month while on a whirlwind end-of-season trip around Europe with Gold Coast Titans star AJ Brimson and Brisbane Broncos players Jordan Riki and Jesse Arthars.
Hundreds of people joined in a “celebration of life” for the late 24-year-old at a public service at Moreton Daily Stadium at Redcliffe.
Featured on Mr Hampson’s coffin was a football and a pair of footy shoes, a tribute to his love of rugby league and promising career.
Wayne Bennett was among the mourners paying respects to Mr Hampson, joining other legends of the game such as Xavier Coates.
Pallbearers for Mr Hampson’s casket included Mr Brimson and Mr Riki who were holidaying with him in Europe when the tragic accident that ended his life occurred.
He was last seen by his friends at the popular Sala Apolo nightclub about 4.30am and had not been seen for 30 hours when his body was discovered, still at the club.
Club staff found the 24-year-old’s lifeless body at the bottom of a hole in an outside area, with managers from the nightclub saying Hampson “got lost” after exiting through an emergency door.
Mr Hampson’s father Brett spoke of a son “full of cheakiness and fun” alongside mum Lorna and sister Tiarna.
“Gone too soon, but what an amazing 24 years it was,” he said according to the Courier Mail.
“Liam always had a footy in his hands growing up. All he wanted to do was run with the ball and tackle kids.
“There is a hole we will never fill. I will miss my best mate. Rest in peace buddy.”
A teammate of Liam Hampson has shed light on his “kind and caring” character as mourners prepared to put on a colourful display at the rugby league player’s funeral.
Club captain Cameron Cullen said the his friend had made a big impact on the team in the short 12 months he played for the Dolphins.
Mr Cullen said it had been a “tough couple of weeks” for he and his friends, but was confident of a huge turnout to the memorial.
“He was such a kind and caring kid and I think that’s why you know you’ll see the response that we will see today,” he told Sunrise on Tuesday morning.
“You know there’s so many people that he crossed paths with across his life that you know, just love him. He was one of those kids that once you meet him, you just love him.”
Mr Hampson was also a teacher’s aide at a Redcliffe school, with many of the students he worked with expected to be in attendance.
“It will be a big day and there will be a lot of people here to pay the respect and honour him and celebrate the life that he had,” Mr Cullen said.
Hampson’s mum, Lorna Morton, posted details to Facebook about the 24-year-old’s funeral after the family gained permission to bring his body home to Australia.
“As Liam will have wanted, we ask that those attending to come dressed in, as Liam would say, ‘S**t Shirts and Birks’ or casual, comfy clothes,” Ms Morton wrote.
“We thank everyone for their support and for those who have reached out as we honour Liam’s memory as a community, as a team and as a family.”
Since his death, Mr Hampson’s devastated parents have also taken to Facebook to thank their friends, family and strangers who have offered condolences.
“We would like to say we have been so comforted by knowing how loved Liam was and the amount of lives he impacted,” the post read.
In the hours after Hampson’s disappearance, the rugby player’s family and friends frantically posted pleas to social media asking for answers, before his body was tragically found.
Nightclub employees have said Mr Hampson walked through an emergency door inside the nightclub before climbing a small wall in an attempt to find his way out.
Due to the darkness, the 24-year-old couldn’t see the 14m drop, as the area was not open to the public.
