Hundreds of people have farewelled a mother and her young daughter who were killed in a Christchurch house fire earlier this month.<\/p>\n
Rose-Maree Couch and her three-year-old daughter Sapphire-Hope Couch died after the fire at a Whitehall St, Mairehau, home on May 14.<\/p>\n
Sapphire-Hope died at the scene, while her mother was taken to hospital and died from her injuries the next day.<\/p>\n
Their funeral was held Linwood Crematorium on Thursday. The service began with a p\u014dwhiri as family members carried the mother and daughter in together.<\/p>\n
They will be buried together. Rose-Maree\u2019s parents, Shiree and Neville, spoke at the funeral.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe had empathy for people, she didn\u2019t like to think of anybody hurting, or anything being wrong,\u201d Shiree said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt shouldn\u2019t have to be this way. I would gladly take their place,\u201d Neville said.<\/p>\n
They said Sapphire-Hope was \u201ctheir little beacon of shining light\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cSapphy was our sassy baby, she would stand there and say \u2018don\u2019t laugh at me Nanny\u2019,\u201d Shiree said.<\/p>\n
In an earlier statement,\u00a0the family\u00a0described\u00a0Sapphire-Hope as a sassy little girl and Couch as a devoted mother\u00a0with a “heart of gold”.<\/p>\n
\u201cSapphy had an infectious smile that could light up any room. She was full of personality, definitely the boss among her siblings, and had so much sass.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe loved spending one-on-one time with her parents, especially cuddles and sneaking treats from the chocolate stash.<\/p>\n
\u201cRose was deeply loved by her family, friends, and the wider community.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe had a heart of gold and was always there to offer support, kindness, or a listening ear to anyone in need.<\/p>\n
\u201cGentle and quiet by nature, she was also fiercely protective of her children and devoted to those she loved.\u201d<\/p>\n
The family praised Shane Hall, the father of two of the surviving children.<\/p>\n
\u201cWords cannot truly express how grateful we are. In our eyes, you are a hero,\u201d the statement read.<\/p>\n
\u201cPlease know how deeply we love and appreciate you, and that we will always stand beside you and support you through this time.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis has been an incredibly difficult time for our wh\u0101nau, and we are still coming to terms with this sudden and devastating loss.<\/p>\n
\u201cRose\u2019s parents Shiree and Neville are also facing the heartbreaking loss of their precious daughter and granddaughter.\u201d<\/p>\n
The family thanked emergency services, including police, fire crews, ambulance staff, ICU teams and the Children\u2019s High Dependency Unit for their care and dedication.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe would also like to thank Nancy and the Christchurch Methodist Mission, who have supported everyone affected by the fire by helping provide clothing, bedding, and other essentials for Jay, Shane, the four children, and Rose-Maree\u2019s mother.\u201d<\/p>\n