Teenager was ‘much-longed for IVF baby’
The mother of a snowboarding champ who died after tragically crashing out of a bedroom window says her son was a ‘‘muchlonged for IVF baby’’ who was sweet, gentle-natured and kind.
Samuel Finnemore, 19, was fatally injured at a rental property in Riccarton, Christchurch, on Tuesday last week. The University of Canterbury student went to bed as normal and later crashed through his bedroom window on to the ground outside. He was found unconscious about 30m from his flat, near the intersection of Matipo and Elizabeth streets, about 3.50am.
Finnemore, an only child, was an accomplished snowboarder from Auckland who won several national age group titles.
He was preparing for end-of-year exams and was only a couple of days away from his 20th birthday.
His mother, Lisa Finnemore, spoke of ‘‘her Sammy’’ at his service, which Stuff was given permission to attend, at St Andrew’s College Centennial Chapel in Christchurch yesterday.
‘‘My darling Sammy was a much-longed for IVF baby who I worked so hard to bring into this world.’’ She described her son as sweet, gentle-natured and kind, and said she knew this from the moment she held him in her arms.
She and her husband were holding each other as they spoke and shared the same message, that Samuel was a kindhearted, loving and brave son. ‘‘He was my heart and Cam’s, and we loved him so much, we poured all of our love and values into him,’’ she said.
Tears could be heard throughout the chapel as the Wānaka snowboarding community stood side by side in front of the family to share their memories and perform a haka in tribute to the teen.
Trees would be planted at Cardrona skifield and an event would be held at the beginning of the snow sports season next year in memory of Finnemore.
Rather than flowers, the family asked if everyone could instead donate to the Sam Finnemore Tribute page on Givealittle, which would support other young people following snowboarding dreams just like their son.
An autopsy was completed last week and police said they were continuing to treat the circumstances of the teenager’s death as unexplained.