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Life is good, please enjoy it while it lasts.
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Talayna Chapman remembers these words written by her best mate Jay Reynolds who died after jumping into the Nobby’s Beach blowhole on Monday morning.
Talayna was involved in a tribute for Jay at the breakwall on Tuesday where about 30 school friends, mates and relatives remembered the 15-year-old.
She said Jay posted the message to his Facebook page about eight days ago.
“He was just a loving kid,” she said. “He was good to be around. He was one of my best mates.
“I knew him for a few years and this is a bit hard.”
Jay’s uncles Jeff and Wayne Reynolds attended the tribute where they remembered their nephew as a good sportsman and a fun kid.
“We are really blown away by the support,” Jeff said. “We are a tight knit family and look after ourselves but this is overwhelming.
“There were several of Jay’s former teachers from Westport (primary school) including Barry Pepper at Nobby’s Beach.
“Barry had a lot to do with Jay including getting him involved in playing rugby union. Although he was a rugby league player, he was the sole representative from Port Macquarie to make a district school union side.
“We were very proud of how he could play football. He was a good kid.”
Wayne thanked the school community and his friends for organising the breakwall and the Nobby’s Beach tributes.
Life is good, please enjoy it while it lasts.
- Jay Reynolds
“I just reckon it’s good when people can share their emotions like this,” he said.
“There was about 30 or 40 kids at Nobby’s Beach this morning with more kids down at the breakwall in the afternoon. We can’t thank them enough for their support.”
The two uncles said they wanted to thank the emergency services involved in the attempts to resuscitate Jay at Nobby’s Beach on Monday.
“There was an off-duty policeman and another guy from surf life saving who were just fantastic,” the two men said.
The 15-year-old lost his life after a fatal leap into the blowhole at Nobby’s Beach on Monday.
It is believed Jay struck his head and lost consciousness after misjudging his jump into the notorious blowhole at Nobby’s Beach on Monday.
Another teenager – a 16-year-old male – is believed to have suffered abrasions to his back when he also got into difficulties at the notorious local landmark trying to save his mate.
Two friends who witnessed the incident grabbed a nearby angel ring and jumped into the water in a desperate effort to aid the young man. The friends were able to drag Jay onto a nearby rock platform.
Emergency services personnel including police, paramedics, SLSNSW state operations centre, lifesaving members from neighbouring Port Macquarie clubs and the Mid North Coast duty officer attended the scene.
Paramedics performed CPR but, unfortunately, all efforts proved unsuccessful.
The Westpac Rescue Helicopter was initially called to provide assistance but was not required.
The 16-year-old remained in Port Macquarie Base Hospital overnight and was expected to be released on Tuesday afternoon.
It is not the first time Nobby’s Beach has proved dangerous. In a similar incident in 2002, three fishermen risked their lives to save a teen from drowning after misjudging a jump into the blowhole.
He was always smiling – he just enjoyed life
“He was just a fun kid.”
With those simple words Port City Breakers Junior Rugby League Football Club president Ray Weatherby described Jay Reynolds.
Mr Weatherby said Jay was a member of the Breakers under 14s side and his shell-shocked mates would miss him.
“We actually got some of the senior club officials and players to come down to training on Tuesday to talk to Jay’s teammates and the under 15s and 16s sides,” he said.
“We got them to have a bit of a runaround before we organised a barbeque. We wanted to have a chat to them to make sure they were okay.
“He came to the Breakers in the under 11s and I honestly didn’t know much about him,” he said.
“I was actually his coach for those three years.
“He was just a fun kid. He was always smiling. He just enjoyed life.”
Mr Weatherby said his teammates ‘loved him’ and would miss him.
“He was a good player a really good player and if he knuckled down, he could have made the representative sides. But he was just enjoying himself,” he added.
Mr Weatherby said the youngster respected other people and would always shake hands in the street.
“He was always smiling. Nothing seemed to phase him.”
Tributes flowed throughout Tuesday for the popular young man with friends gathering at Port Macquarie’s Town Beach breakwall to paint a rock in his honour.
Other memorials included flowers left along the rocks at Nobby’s Beach and sand art tributes reflecting his friends’ grief.
Jay was a year 8 student at Hastings Secondary College’s Port Macquarie campus.
The school expressed its deepest sympathy to the student’s family and friends in a statement released on Tuesday.
“Counselling is being provided to students and staff and will remain available as necessary,” the school said in the statement.
Officers from Mid North Coast Local Area Command will investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident.
A report is being prepared for the coroner.
No funeral arrangements have been confirmed at this time.