Hundreds turn out to say final goodbye to Blake

FUNERAL: Angus youngster ‘left an imprint in hearts’

Family and loved ones of Carnoustie youngster Blake Mcmillan said their final goodbyes at the weekend.

Hundreds gathered to take part in a celebration of the seven-year-old’s life at Panbride Country Church.

Blake’s favourite Disney songs played in the balloon-decorated church as those present listened to tributes before singing the hymn All Things Bright and Beautiful.

Outside a mass of floral tributes welcomed those who arrived for the funeral.

Blake had died a week earlier at Rachel House, Kinross, 58 hours after his family took the heartbreaking decision to switch off his life support machine.

The youngster was diagnosed with MECP2 duplication syndrome at just three weeks old.

The condition meant Blake could not walk or sit without full support and could only move his head and limbs.

Blake’s mother, Jenny Howe, had said: “Blake fought until the very end, the way he has fought all his life. He didn’t know how to do anything other than fight.”

Blake’s funeral was led by the chaplain of Rachel House, Monica Stewart, with the church’s minister Annette Gordon reading out a tribute from his classmates at Carlogie Primary School.

The piece, written by the head teacher Judith Reid on behalf of the children, read: “All Carlogie children loved Blake and recognised just how special he was.

“Blake has left a definite imprint in the hearts and minds of all of us at Carlogie and will never, ever be forgotten.”

The church service was followed by a private burial at Carnoustie’s Shanwell Cemetery.

A lone piper led the funeral procession a short way along the road before the family took Blake to his final resting place, beside Jenny’s grandparents.

His older sister Faye was one of those who took a cord of her little brother’s small blue coffin as it was slowly lowered into the ground.

Later, Jenny told The Evening Telegraph: “I’m not sure how we are going to get through the next few days but somehow we will.

“We had a wonderful day celebrating my boy’s life.”

Blake died at the age of seven.