Friends, Family Bid Final Farewell To 16-Year-Old
Friends and family members attended the funeral of a 16-year-old Yat Sen Secondary School student yesterday, yet another drowning victim. The mourners paid their final respects to Year 11 student Russell Taloga at the Vatuwaqa Cemetery in Suva.
Russell’s family, friends, fellow students and the Fijian chess community attended the funeral.
“I will never have a friend like Russell and no one can replace him because Russell was Russell,” said 16-year-old classmate Phillip Leong. Another classmate, Mikaela Dunn, who had been with Russell since Year One, said he was a faithful friend. “He was always there for us in good and bad times,” she said. “Russell was more like a brother to me. “I met Russell in 2007 when we were in Year One at the Yat Sen Primary school. “Now he is gone, I will not find a brother like him. I will really miss him. “I last met him on New Year’s Day and I did not know that it would be the last time I would see Russell.” Another friend, Lilia Taomia,17, said: “Russell was a very caring, funny, loving, respectful and helpful person. “He always put other people’s need before his. “There is so many things about him we will miss.” Russell was preparing to represent Fiji at the 2017 Oceania Zonal Chess Tournament in New Zealand. He died after he drowned in the Navua River last week. He had travelled from Suva to Nakavu Village in Namosi with his family for a family function last Sunday when the incident occurred. It is believed he followed some friends to the river for an afternoon swim and the strong currents swept him away.