Brandon Crisp has been missing since Monday, October 13, 2008. (Image courtesy of Barrie Police)

A public funeral will be held Friday morning in Barrie for Brandon Crisp. His family is asking for privacy, as the community tries to come to grips with the death of the 15-year-old.

An autopsy has confirmed a body found in a field last week just kilometres from his home was Brandon. The coroner also concluded he died of trauma to the chest, most likely from falling out of a tree.

Investigators are still trying to piece together Brandon's final hours, but police admit there are some questions that may never be answered.

The teen ran away from home on October 12 after arguing with his parents over his video gaming habits.

Hundreds of members of the community had joined in the search for the boy following his disappearance. About 1,000 students held a communal prayer for him after learning of the body's discovery on Wednesday.

Visitation is set for Thursday in Barrie. Brandon's funeral will be at 10 a.m. Friday morning at St. Mary's Church

 

 

 

BARRIE, Ont. -- About 1,700 mourners packed a church in central Ontario on Friday to say their final goodbyes to 15-year-old Brandon Crisp, who died after running away from home following a dispute with his parents over his obsession with video games.

The teen, whose disappearance and tragic end evoked an outpouring of sympathy from across the country, was remembered by his grieving family as a funny and quick-witted boy who could "bring a smile to anyone's face."

"I guess Brandon was meant to die young, because he was always a kid at heart," his twin sister Samantha wrote in a letter that was read out to the crowd.

"Brandon was more than just a brother to me. He was my twin, my other half, and half of me will always be missing without him."

Among the mourners were friends, teachers and even complete strangers, many of whom had volunteered to aid police in the search north of Toronto for the teen who went missing Thanksgiving Day after a fight with his parents over his Xbox.

News of the boy's disappearance brought to light the secret fears many parents harbour over their children's video gaming habits. Rather than being cast as just another missing kid, families from British Columbia to Miami were drawn to the plight of Steve and Angelika Crisp, who spoke out about their son's obsession with online gaming.

When the searches failed to turn up clues, there was speculation the boy had met up with or been abducted by someone he'd met on the Internet.

Those who knew of the teen's passion for survival-themed reality TV shows believed he might be trying to make it in the rural outdoors surrounding his hometown.

Then last week, Crisp's body was discovered by hunters in a wooded area only kilometres from home. Autopsy results concluded he died after likely falling from a tree, but it's not known when he succumbed to his injuries.

On Friday, the same community that banded together to launch the exhaustive search for Crisp gathered again -- this time to lay him to rest.

His coffin, bearing messages of remembrance in black marker, was carried into St. Mary's Catholic Church, which was so packed with mourners that many had to be seated in an overflow room.

Inside, a heart of white carnations with Crisp's nickname "Bran" stood beside the altar as letters from each of the boy's family members were read by family friend Gordon Sweetzer.

"I'm going to miss all the back rubs and head rubs you would be asking for, but mostly the special time you and I shared talking at the end of the day before I kissed you goodnight," Crisp's mother wrote.

"I'm sure God was looking for a great goalie to complete his hockey team and that is why you are there now."

Brandon's family has set up a foundation in his name to help underprivileged children participate in minor sports. His father has said his son was a hockey goalie, but it got to a point where the boy was shorter than the other children, so he stopped playing.

Outside the service, two close friends of Brandon's said their favourite memories of him came from their days as soccer teammates. Iain Yerbury, 15, recalled a match where Brandon faced off against a player on another team who dwarfed him at six-foot-four.

"Brandon went right for him and got the ball off him," he laughed.

Cole Turano, 15, remembered when Brandon won the most improved player award following an undefeated season.

"He was always smiling for the rest of the day and he was so happy. It was good times."

Many classmates wore items of yellow -- Crisp's favourite colour -- to honour the teen. Some friends sported yellow ties, while others wore yellow scarves or roses in their hair.