9:22am Wednesday 6th November 2002
Hundreds of mourners brought parts of Croydon to a standstill on Friday, as the funeral of James Haddad took place.
Over 600 people packed inside St Mary's RC Church on Wellesley Road,
as family, friends, fellow pupils and even strangers flocked to pay their respects to the West Croydon nine-year-old who sadly lost his ten month fight against a rare brain tumour last Saturday.
In wet and blustery weather, James' small white coffin was carried into the church by his cousins, followed by his parents Robert and Sue, sister Christine and his large extended family.
The funeral Mass was a fitting tribute to a remarkably brave and much-loved child, serving to celebrate his short life and mark the huge sense of loss clearly felt by everyone at the service.
People stood lining the edges of St Mary's for the Catholic funeral service
featuring touching readings from
family, friends and teachers, and a
selection of James' favourite hymns.
The final hymn was James' favourite "Rise and Shine", which brought great joy to the service, as the HCPT, the
charity which looked after James when he travelled to Lourdes in April, led the singing, hand clapping and dancing
routine.
James' St Mary's Junior School Year Five classmates, who presented
cards and a wreath at the offertory
procession, also stood and joined in
the routine, as the pain of losing James was momentarily forgotten, and the joy he spread remembered.
After the service, Wellesley Road was brought to a virtual standstill, as
a horse drawn hearse led the funeral procession through Croydon to his
final resting place at Mitcham Road
Cemetery.
Outside St Mary's Junior School, teachers and all the pupils lined the pavement waving goodbye and
saying prayers. James' dad Robert said: "To see all the children line the pavement, hands clasped in prayer, was one of the most tearful gestures we have witnessed. We will always remember it."
Robert and Sue would like to thank everyone who has helped throughout James' illness and with the funeral arrangements They will make a statement on the James Haddad Appeal page next week.
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