'You were the light of our lives,' sister says of Savannah, 14, at her funeral Mass in Limerick

SILENCE fell upon St John’s Cathedral in Limerick city this Tuesday morning as the life of Savannah Calvert who "broke the mould" was celebrated by family and friends whose hearts have been shattered by her loss.

The young girl, from Garryowen, is understood to have been walking in the Bank Place area of Limerick city last Wednesday night when she was involved in a traffic collision. She was later taken to University Hospital Limerick where she passed away. Savannah was 14-years-old.

She was described as the “light of our lives”, the “heart and soul” and the baby of her family during her funeral Mass this Tuesday morning.

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“Oh Savannah, where do I begin, love,” Diane, Savannah’s eldest sister said with the strength of her family behind her.

“They really broke the mould when they made you, you were the heart and soul of the family, you had us all under your thumb. How are we ever going to get along without you?

Tragically, this is not the first time the Calvert family have been faced with loss in the last 12 months as Savannah’s mother Jacqueline passed away shortly before Christmas.

Savannah, who had cystic fibrosis, is also predeceased by her two sisters Katie and Sophie.

“We would understand completely if you had died from cystic fibrosis which you fought so hard throughout your short life but we will never ever accept the fact that you were taken away from us in such a horrific way,” Diane said.

“You were the baby of our family, we would have done anything for you, you were the light of our lives,” she added.

“When mammy, Sophie and Katie passed away they broke all our hearts in two but you have taken the rest of what is left of our hearts,” she added.

In the tribute to her “precious” sister and in the middle of her grief, Diane took time to thank all of those who have been there for her family over the last number of days.

Gifts brought to the altar to symbolise the short life of Savannah included a Liverpool jersey as she was a big supporter of the soccer club. She “rushed out” at the start of every season to get the latest kit. Her phone, her perfume to represent her sense of style and her favourite snack, a packet of crisps were also brought to the altar.

“All of us feel that this is not how it should be,” Fr Frank O’Connor said addressing those in attendance at the Requiem Mass. “It should be 50 or 60 years before we gather here for Savannah’s funeral. Savannah’s death came too soon."

Savannah’s baby pink-coloured casket, adorned with beautiful floral and gold embellishments was placed between the Champions League and Premier League trophies, both replicas, a symbol that was fitting for the “mini red”. The message given to Savannah’s family by Fr O’Connor was of the Liverpool anthem - they will 'Never Walk Alone'.

Diane mentioned how she would miss her shopping days with Savannah and their family-time spent at Christmas which was Savannah’s favourite time of year as they got to sit around together with the fire lighting watching movies.

On Friday evening, Savannah’s family and friends gathered at her sister’s house where balloons were released into the sky in memory of the late teenager.

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Her image and details of her passing were shared around Liverpool supporters’ pages on social media around the world, to honour the young fan.

Savannah was the beloved daughter of Dermot and the late Jacqueline.

She was the adored sister of Diane, Deborah, Linda, Stacey, Chloe, Joelene, Denika, Dermot, Lee, Richard, Ross, Kieran and the late Sophie and Katie and will be sadly missed by her heartbroken family, nieces, nephews, nana Bonnie Barry, sisters-in-law, brothers-in-law, extended family & many friends.

May Savannah rest in peace.