“Kamile had a wonderful smile and bright hopes for the future”

THE 17-year-old schoolgirl tragically killed in a collision on the A5 this week had ‘a wonderful smile and had bright hopes for the future’, mourners at her funeral have heard.

Kamile Vaicikonyte, a pupil at St Ciaran’s College in Ballygawley, died along with her boyfriend, 19-year-old Jamie Moore, in the single-vehicle crash on Doogary Road, part of the A5 several miles outside Omagh, on Tuesday night.

Her funeral Mass took place at St Mary’s Church, Aughnacloy, at 11am this morning and was attended by many of Kamile’s school friends.

Ms Vaicikonyte was of Lithuanian descent, and her family moved to Aughnacloy when she was aged two.

Speaking at the funeral, Kamile’s uncle said that he wished to tell the family of Jamie Moore that their hearts were with them.

He said, “Kamile had a wonderful smile and had bright hopes for the future. Whenever she spoke of her plans, she never said, ‘I would like to’; Kamile always said ‘I will’.

“Our family would like to say that our hearts go out to the family of Jamie Moore. Although they were young, they cared deeply for one another, and they shared a deep love for each other.”

Kamile was remembered as a joyous and bubbly person who cared deeply for her friends and family.
A deeply ambitious person and good student, she planned to go to university, study sociology or criminology, and travel the world.

Also speaking at the funeral, Fr Cathal Devenney said that Kamile would be remembered as a person who was always easy to talk to and was a helping hand to people when they needed someone.

Fr Devenney said, “I have spoken to many of Kamile’s classmates, friends and many of the people she worked with in Supervalu in Aughnacloy. The one thing they all remarked on was her sense of joy.

“She was a deeply caring person who had a deep bond with her family and had a great connection with her sister. Her friends remarked that she was always there to help them with the little things.”

Fr Devenney added, “The pupils of St Ciaran’s now have a special friend who is with the Lord. If you ever need something, just ask Kamile like you always have, and she will try and help you like she did in life.”

Various items representing Kamile’s life were brought forward at the start of the service.

These included a family photograph, with mourners hearing Kamile was a “protective older sister and a loving daughter”.

A mobile phone represented “the many memories” she made with her friends, a Coldplay album symbolised her plans to see the group in August, while a globe indicated her love of travel – she had wanted to go to America, especially New York.

On Monday, the day before the collision, Kamile had taken part in a demonstration at her school to remember people who have died on the A5. The pupils were showing their support to a campaign calling for safety upgrades to the route.

Kamile is survived by her parents and her sister . She will be grieved by her wider family and will be deeply missed by all her friends.