Zimpapers Logo

farewell to Nicholas John Burnett.

The teenage Zimbabwean athlete, who was killed after a car crash in Harare on Tuesday, was laid to rest at Glen Forrest Memorial Park yesterday.
Those who attended the church service include Zimbabwe Aquatic Union board members, St John’s College staff and students, swimmers from Otters, Sharks, Highlands, Spartans, Pirates and Dorado swimming clubs from juniors to seniors.

Former and current Zimbabwe Under-18 rugby players, who played with Burnett in both last year’s and this year’ s edition of the Craven Week and Mashonaland rugby coaches and managers, were also part of the gathering.

Zimbabwe Under-18 coach Godwin Murambiwa said:  “He is the kind of player who was always refreshingly confident, something that doesn’t exist in players anymore, but all this is now just in our minds.

“He always had a smile on his face, was hardworking and was an accomplished athlete and this is also the same reason he did so well as a swimmer. Bunye was one of those players who, if he wanted to make it as a professional athlete, would surely do so.”

His father John, took the mourners back to the days when Nicholas was born, revealing he thought he would have lost his son when he was three months old following a head operation.

“Our first memories of our son when he was born at Avenues Clinic, I was such a happy dad holding my son.
“But the the happiness quickly turned to a sad moment when I had to hand him over to the neurosurgeon at three months to unfuse his scull.

“I was crying so much I could not believe I was possibly about to lose a son. But God willing, he survived and I remember carrying a huge smile that I also carried for the rest of his life.

“I thank God today for the 18 years of life he gave our son. Will miss his presence as he was the family’s pillar of strength we all looked up to you.
“He had a gentle spirit, easily pleased and had his moments as he changed from a boy to teenager, to an adult, he was quiet , humble, quick to repent.

“Loved to please me and his mother, getting medal after medal in competition after competition across the globe.
“But he is gone now and today I will lay him to rest. Some of you would understand how hard it is to lose a son, he is someone I have loved for 18 years.” Athletes from as far afield as Falcon College (Esigodini), Midlands Christian College (Gweru) and Peterhouse College (Marondera) were there yesterday to pay their last respects.
Nicholas’ mother Dawn recalled the last moments she saw him alive.

“On Tuesday at 2:15pm he was at home and had just dropped off his brothers from school and at 2:21pm he passed me slowly at a traffic intersection, we looked at each other, smiled and that was the last I saw of my son alive.

“At 2:30pm I tried calling him, but he was not picking his phone, then it went unreachable only to get a call from the school that Nick had been involved in an accident.”
His pastor, Tom Deuschle, spoke highly of Nick.

“He had the qualities few of us would have because of the way he addressed himself. We should draw lessons from his life.
“Nick accomplished this and more and if we keep this in our hearts then we shall always smile. There is a lot to be learnt and admired in the life he lived as he was a God-fearing person and if we are to remember him then let it be by his uplifting deeds.

“And thus he will not be afar from us if we choose to remember him because of his values that he left here for us.”