Church hosts funeral for crash victim Laura Hoy-Henry (23) two years after hosting funeral for her sister Linda
The funeral has been held for a 23-year-old car crash victim in the same church which mourned her sister two years earlier.
Laura Hoy-Henry was one of three people in the same vehicle who died in a collision on Saturday outside Moy, on the Co Tyrone / Co Armagh border.
Four other people were injured.
Her funeral today at The Church of The Most Holy Trinity, Cookstown, heard her described as someone who was full of "kindness" and "fight".
"When tragedy comes knocking at the door," said Father Lawrence Boyle, "it sends a shiver through our spine" and leaves us "speechless".
He made reference to the spate of other road crashes in recent days, and said: "There aren't any words that can be uttered that time that will bring the comfort that you need or the strength you need - but it's a wake up call to resolve that we have to be aware and alert of how we can stop tragedies in our world."
He said to the family: "It's your second time to bring a daughter before the Lord, as you brought Linda just over two years ago here into this church as well."
Laura’s sister Linda had been a mother of eight, who died of cancer.
The priest prayed "for Laura, whom you have now called from this world; we ask you to open the gates of paradise to her where there's no more pain or suffering, but only everlasting joy in the presence of the eternal King".
He said: "We know Laura was no saint or angel in life, but she also had her good side and her difficult side we all have in life."
He said that stories had been told about "Laura's faithfulness, Laura's love, Laura's fight in her".
She was "very supportive of her family and friends - if she had seen you in hurt, then she would come to your defense like a boxer in a ring, maybe at many times, but she was there to defend".
She was "the defender, the carer", and had "wonderful gifts," he said.
He told her family that when "you meet Laura again, your joy will be so complete", adding: "The message that we've would say today is: be careful of our roads and in your life, because you are precious in the eyes of God."
Later in the service, a family member said that "Laura had one of the kindest hearts ever" and that her "memory will live on" in her daughter.
"We promise we will never let her forget you. She will always look to the sky for the brightest star, and she will know that it's you.
"You cause some havoc throughout your life, Laura.
"The day you went into labour, you were more concerned about finishing your pizza then getting to the labour ward.
"And then when Jessica finally convinced you to go to the hospital, her car burst into flames, and all you cared about was getting to the window to take a photo of the car up in flames, rather than trying to breathe through your contractions.
"You never stopped fighting for the people who mattered the most to you, and I mean literally fighting.
"Laura: we hope you know how loved and cherished you were, and we hope that you're finally at peace."