Funeral held for Hunter Valley bus crash victim Zach Bray

Friends and family have paid tribute to an “extremely loveable” victim of the Hunter Valley bus crash at an emotional funeral in Sydney’s north.

Zach Bray, 29, was among the 10 wedding guests killed in the horror bus rollover following a reception at Wandin Valley Estate on June 11.

Today, dozens gathered at Macquarie Park to pay their tributes and respects to Bray.

“My eyes will never dry until we meet and laugh and love again and plan our next adventure into the wide blue skies,” his father Adam said during the service.

Bray’s love of flying was noted throughout the service.

It was the young man’s happy place he shared with loved ones by taking them on joy flights.

“You even taught me to fly up there and gave me wings, you’ve grown your wings now,” Bray’s girlfriend Georgia Copeland-Proctor said.

Bray was remembered for his infectious zest for life after beating bowel cancer earlier in his 20s.

“The last time we spoke was the day before you left this earth and I can still hear the happiness in your voice and picture the huge smile on your face whilst you talked excitedly about Mitch and Maddie’s wedding,” Bray’s mother Jacqui Varasdi said.

Mourners found strength in Bray’s ever-happy attitude – including his friend Mitch Gaffney, the groom at the centre of the wedding tragedy, who spoke to honour his Singleton Roosters teammate.

“He became affectionately known as the labrador, or lab, as they’re affectionate dogs, they’re extremely loveable but no matter what they do, they do it with that big goofy smile,” Gaffney said.

“Although you will never get to pull the jersey on again, you’ll always be there by our side.”

Many of the mourners will farewell more of their friends in the coming days with more funerals for those who died in the crash.