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Oscar Pistorius’ model girlfriend was laid to rest today as the athlete appeared in court for a second time on a murder rap.
More than 100 of the model’s close associates and relatives attended the service in Victoria Park Crematorium, in her home city of Port Elizabeth.
Among them were mum June, dad Barry and South African rugby star Francois Hougaard, whose friendship with Miss Steenkamp was reported to have caused tension between her and Pistorius.
Guests were followed into the chapel by Miss Steenkamp’s coffin, which was carried by six pallbearers and draped with a cloth.
After the hour-long service, her uncle Mike, brother Adam and sister Sharon stood on the steps, where Adam, 36, who lives in Newmarket, Suffolk, said: “Reeva touched our hearts.
“There is a space missing that can’t be filled. We will try to continue with things she tried to make better.”
He earlier read a eulogy in the crematorium and added: “Everyone is sad, but at a certain point we were smiling because we only have good memories of her.”
And Mike wept as he said: “We had planned a family get-together for December but that didn’t happen.
“Now we are together but there’s only one thing missing.
“Reeva stood against abuse against women and that stand is more powerful now.”
Family friend Tara Laing said Miss Steenkamp would not have talked to her family about any relationship issues.
She said: “Reeva would never make her problems anyone else’s. She’d just get on with it and sort things out.”
Mrs Laing added: “Reeva never travelled down [to Port Elizabeth] with Oscar. The family never met him.”
Article source: http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/reeva-steenkamp-funeral-model-laid-1717319
