‘Light and love’: family and friends to honour Jesse Baird and Luke Davies at Sydney vigil
The grieving families of Jesse Baird and Luke Davies will join friends at a vigil to honour the men as Sydney’s LGBTQ+ community attempts to come to terms with their alleged murders.
Friends of 26-year-old Baird – an AFL umpire and former television presenter – and 29-year-old Davies – a Qantas cabin attendant – organised Friday evening’s memorial event in Darlinghurst’s Green Park with the blessing of the men’s families.
“Thank you to everyone who has reached out for a community vigil for Luke and Jesse,” said New South Wales independent MP Alex Greenwich, who helped secure use of the park, adding that condolence books will be available to sign at the event.
Separately, a floral tribute was continuing to expand at Baird’s Paddington home where the couple were allegedly shot and killed by serving police officer Beau Lamarre 10 days ago. Flowers overflowed from the terrace’s front steps on to the leafy street in Sydney’s eastern suburbs.
On Thursday, two men – who had flown from Brisbane but did not want to be named – paid their respects at the Paddington site where their close friend Davies was allegedly killed.
“He was the love of our friendship group,” one of them told Guardian Australia. “He was the light and love and laughter of everyone around him. He was a humble, beautiful man and he was a brother to many.”
Davies had worked with Tigerair Australia for seven years before he joined Qantas, the friend said. The airline ceased operations in late 2020.
“Tiger was his family. He touched so many people. He just had this thing about him,” the friend said.
Vyleen White has been remembered as a woman with unconditional love and passion for her family, friends and anyone who crossed her path.
More than 100 mourners gathered to celebrate the life of the 70-year-old who was fatally stabbed outside a shopping centre.
“There will never be enough words to adequately describe mum,” daughter Cindy Micallef told the funeral service in Brisbane on Thursday.
“Unconditional love was always there no matter the circumstance, and with us, there were a lot of circumstances.” White was fatally stabbed outside Redbank Plains shopping centre earlier in February in an alleged carjacking, sparking a youth crime outcry.
A 16-year-old boy has been charged with her murder.
White had a passion for prayer and likely said one for everyone – no matter who they were – friends told the packed service at Riverlife Baptist church.
“It didn’t matter if you were a neighbour, someone buying a washing machine or just coming to say hello. No one was left out,” Micallef said.
Micallef said her mother loved her cat Chloe, doing Donald Duck impersonations and watching funny animal videos.
But most of all, she loved her family. Micallef said her mother would be remembered for the effect she had on her loved ones, not how she died.
“We don’t want mum to be remembered for how she went. We want her to be remembered for the legacy of her life,” she said.
Her family vowed to not let go of her memory and to seek justice through the judicial system.
“This is a catalyst for change in our lives and our community,” Micallef said.
White’s death caused outrage, sparking state legislative change.
Media and victims’ families will be given greater access to court cases involving youths under laws proposed by the Queensland government after the stabbing.
Premier, Steven Miles, sought changes after the 16-year-old boy charged with murder appeared in a closed court hearing, with a magistrate refusing media access.
The Queensland government also fast-tracked laws to ban knife sales following White’s death.
Opposition leader, David Crisafulli, attended Thursday’s service, sharing a quick word with Micallef and her family.
Leader of the African Community Council, Beny Bol, also paid his respects in a show of unity after reports of racial abuse flaring in the community after the stabbing.
Close family left for a private burial after the service.