Imogen Cleary-Vong funeral: Teen's mother comforted by words of faith she found in daughter's notebook
A Co Londonderry family who lost their daughter in tragic circumstances were consoled that she had written “nothing can separate us from the love of God” in her notebook, her funeral has heard.
Imogen Cleary-Vong, 15, died after being rescued from the River Moyola on 2 February. Police are not treating her deaths as suspicious.
She is survived by her parents Michael and Pauline and siblings Dylan and Cody.
Her Requiem Mass today (Friday) in St Patrick's Church, Castledawson was led by Rev Juan Jesus Gonzales Borrallo.
Imogen's mother Pauline told mourners Imogen was "kind, caring and compassionate” who had “so many friends”.
She was “a bit of a tomboy” and was "quiet and shy" due to Asperger's Syndrome but this also made her “unique".
She added: "This affected her day to day life, and just made it that little bit harder.
" On her 14th birthday, she got her beloved cat, Stormy. She paid £120 for him, and liked to remind us of that every time Stormy misbehaved."
Her brother Cody "tortured" visitors with musical instruments to see if they could play them. As a result, Imogen asked for a piano for Christmas and started taking lessons "just to fulfill this role for Cody".
Imogen worked at the hairdressers on Saturdays, but in fact spent her time “brushing her own hair and applying lip gloss and mascara".
"I know for a fact that she is rolling her eyes right now saying, 'Mummy, stop embarrassing me, please'.
She urged mourners to “give thanks to the Lord for the gift that he has given us through her life”.
Rev Borrallo said Imogen had a passion for anime art and that her work will be "treasured" at home and at school in her memory, he said.
She never left home without her airpods, lip gloss and trusty hairbrush in her handbag, he added.
Often she would brush her hair in class, causing teachers to make eye contact.
"And with a cheeky but wonderful smile, Imogen would place the hair brush back in the pocket, at least for a little while," he said.
He noted how Imogen's mother Pauline was encouraged by Imogen's notebook - filled with artwork - after her death.
In the front cover it said: "Nothing can separate us from God's love".
"So it was already very consoling to see how God is present, how God goes ahead of us," he said.
She saw this notebook every day, her father said; the priest urged mourners to likewise write the words where they would see them daily.
Imogen's brother, Dylan, said she phoned him to say she thought she had failed her GCSE mocks and wondered if her mother would be mad.
He replied that they were "just mocks" but told her: "Maybe if you got off Tiktok and revised we wouldn't be having this conversation."
She just cared about "the most silly things" - but this also meant that she also took on other peoples worries, he said.
"But she is at peace now and will never have to worry about a mock again."
He closed: "I love you Imogen and [breaking down] thank you for the most amazing memories."
Mourners supported him with a warm loud round of applause.