A girl with a big heart, Lily Van De Putte was the kind of person who would literally take the blankets from her own home to give to someone sleeping rough.
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Her father, John, recalls this memory as he pays tribute to his kind, generous 14-year-old daughter, a week on from the terrible crash that killed her and four other teenagers at Buxton.
"I know every parent says their child is unique, but Lily was truly a unique person," Mr Van De Putte said.
"She was empathetic and caring."
He recounts another occasion when Lily made him stop the car so she could give the food she had just gotten from McDonald's to a woman who was begging.
Mr Van De Putte had numerous examples of instances when Lily's generous nature shone through.
"One day at school a young kid got hassled, when she was in kindergarten or first class... and she went and defended him," he said.
Lily was a talented athlete, Mr Van De Putte said, and she would finish the 800-metre race in first or second place, only to run straight back across the oval and help her lagging competitors cross the finish line.
"She was just always thinking about other people," he said.
As well as athletics, Lily played soccer for her local Tahmoor club and even travelled to Austria for gymnastics.
"Very athletic, very talented, and she was very beautiful," Mr Van De Putte said.
Lily was also curious about the world around her and always eager to learn more, a trait no doubt fuelled by the Australian and overseas trips her parents took her on.
"She wasn't a scholar, but she was very interested in the world," Mr Van De Putte said.
Like many teenagers, Lily loved TikTok and when she came across a video that piqued her curiosity she would turn to her father to ask if it was true, and together they would research and talk about the issue.
Mr Van De Putte said Lily had a "wicked sense of humour".
He recalled her putting one of the wheels of his wheelchair in neutral in a shopping centre, so he would go in circles.
On another occasion, he came home from the hospital to find pink flamingos decorating the front lawn, which he hated.
Knowing this, Lily would get him something with a flamingo on it each year for his birthday, in a playful jab at her dad.
Mr Van De Putte said she was also very responsible, despite being just 14 - so responsible, her boss would let her open and close the shop she worked at.
There she worked with an Iraqi man, he said, and she was learning some of his language while educating him in Australian slang.
Mr Van De Putte said his daughter hoped to become an electrician in the future.
"She would have been a great asset to the community when she was older," he said.
Lily was an adored baby sister to Britany, 24, and 23-year-old Kaleb.
Mr Van de Putte said he was separated from Lily's mother Melanie but the pair maintained a good relationship, and he believed this was one of the reasons she was such a "good kid".
Lily died in the crash alongside her best friend, and Mr Van De Putte said the pair were inseparable.
"All five kids were good kids," he said.
Mr Van De Putte said he was overwhelmed with the support the community had offered in the wake of the tragedy. "They've been fantastic," he said.
Lily's loved ones will farewell her at 2pm this Friday at St Anthony's Catholic Church in Tahmoor.
The driver involved in the crash, Tyrell Edwards, has been charged with five counts of dangerous driving occasioning death and will face court again in November.
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Natalie Croxon
Reporter at the Illawarra Mercury, mostly covering social affairs. Previously of the Bendigo Advertiser, Northern Daily Leader and Quirindi Advocate. Our Watch award winner.
Reporter at the Illawarra Mercury, mostly covering social affairs. Previously of the Bendigo Advertiser, Northern Daily Leader and Quirindi Advocate. Our Watch award winner.
