Valley of tears
TEARS: Rosanna Davison is overcome with emotion as her friend and fellow model Katy is buried
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The grief-stricken face of Rosanna Davison said it all. As the body of ‘Katykins’ was carried down to the picturesque cemetery which would serve as her final resting place, the former Miss World finally lost her composure as the tears flowed freely for her young friend.
The funeral service for the well-known model and socialite was a ‘who’s who’ of Irish life as leading figures from the worlds of modelling and entertainment flocked to the Wicklow village of Enniskerry to pay their final respects.
As proof of how far her influence extended, everyone from singer Chris de Burgh to former Irish rugby star Shane Byrne, and even the Taoiseach was represented at the service in St Patrick’s Church in Enniskerry.
Following the service, the family held a private gathering at the Ritz Carlton at Powerscourt where friends and family recalled the beautiful young model who captured the hearts of a nation.
Such thoughts were recalled earlier in the day at the beautifully- quaint church which was the venue for the emotional service and was a far cry from the glitzy city nightspots where such well-known faces are usually found.
But there was no doubting the strength of grief and emotion that enveloped the congregation as they paid tribute to one of Ireland’s most renowned media darlings.
As was fitting for a model so accustomed to being in front of the cameras, the service started off with a photo montage of Katy, shown to the tune of ‘You are My Sunshine’ and ‘Indestructible.’
Most shots were a far cry from the usual glossy images we had become accustomed to seeing of Katy in her various photoshoots over the years.
Yet it was clear that her parents Janet and John and her sister Jill wanted to pay tribute to the effervescent Katy they knew – far removed from her media persona.
“Life with Katy was about loving it, embracing it and giving it socks,” said her mum.
“This daughter of mine remained a child, solving problems and causing them and always with an openness of heart and a freedom of spirit. She had a childlike naturalness that so intoxicated me.”
Thanking everyone for showing the family so much support over the past week, she said she knew another story would take precedence in the media and this would all be forgotten.
“But I won’t forget little Katykins. We had a heartfelt connection and an undying trust. We knew we were there for each other throughout our lives,” she continued.
“I could forgive Katy anything and she me...Every mother knows that's what we do. Every mother knows her daughter has strengths and weaknesses, hopes and fears, angels and demons.
“Every mother knows her child will struggle with some emotional and moral conflict here on earth, as he or she has a job to do, a living to make, a life to lead.”
She continued: “To me, Katy was an angel, any mother’s daughter is an angel. Thank God I have one angel left.”
Taking her seat to resounding applause from the congregation, the junior choir from Katy’s former school of Alexandra College then sang ‘The Rhythm of Life’.
After readings from Katy’s friends John Buckley and Intan Besri, her sister Jill paid a moving tribute to the well-known model.
In a voice often breaking with emotion, she said there were “no words to describe what she meant to me or what kind of person she really was.
“Katy is my big sister – confident, beautiful, intelligent, strong. She’s a lot to live up to for a little sister,” she said.
“My sister, to me, is not the person everyone sees in the magazines – perfectly styled, beautifully groomed.”
She said she used to think they were polar opposites, given that Katy loved expensive shoes and five-star hotels while she loved hostel hopping and the simpler things in life.
“But I see now that in so many ways, we are alike. We both love a challenge, we never take the easy road. We both have a passion for what we do.
“Katy put her heart and soul into everything she did, whether it was posing for a picture or writing an article. She was a people-person, she loved being around people – that was the path that she chose.
“When it came to openly showing her love and affection for people, she never held back. She lived a full life and accomplished more in 24 years than most people accomplish in 90.”
She said never was this strong life force more evident than in the last few days before Katy died, when she managed to hang on just to allow her family to bid her a proper goodbye before her passing.
“She is not gone but is living on with me now, so I have to have the courage to live for the both of us now,” she added.
