Nikitta Grender pink funeral carried into church by boyfriend and father

Nikitta Grender pink funeral carried into church by boyfriend and father

 

The boyfriend of a murdered mother-to-be Nikitta Grender carried her white coffin into the church for her funeral today.

Ryan Mayes, 18, was joined as a pallbearer by the teenager's father, Paul, and other family members.

Around 500 people packed into St John's Church Maindee, in Newport, Gwent, South Wales, for the service.

Boyfriend Ryan Mayes, 18, and her father, Paul, carry the coffin into the church along with other family members

Pink: Mourners wore pink items of clothing and some even dyed their hair out of respect for the teenager

Many wore pink out of respect for the heavily pregnant 19-year-old, who was going to call her unborn daughter Kelsey-May.

She was found stabbed to death in the bedroom of her burnt-out flat in Broadmead Park, Liswerry, Newport, on February 5.

Mr Mayes was comforted by friends and family after arriving at the church ahead of the service and Nikitta's younger brother Luke was hugged by their mother Marcia as he wiped away tears with a white handkerchief.

When the hearse arrived it was adorned with floral tributes that spelt out the words "Nikitta", "Kelsey-May" and "Cousin"

People slowly filed into the church as Nikitta's boyfriend, father, grandfather Terry and uncles Michael, Mark and Paul carried her white coffin into the church.

Among the floral tributes was one shaped as a dog in memory of Nikitta's pet Missy, which also died in the blaze.

Embrace: Her boyfriend Ryan and her father, Paul, hug after saying goodbye to Nikitta and Kelsey-May while a tribute from her grandfather, Terry Evans,  reads: 'Always remembered and never forgotten'

Mr Mayes left his own floral tribute to his girlfriend and unborn daughter, shaped as a teddy bear.

The service was so crowded for hour-long funeral that there was standing room only at the back of the church.

Mourners were accompanied by the Newport Male Voice Choir which sang Amazing Grace and Guide Me O Thou  Great Redeemer.

During the emotional service her uncle Michael read a eulogy written by her parents.

He said: 'Nikitta will be laughing at the attention. She loved the limelight and why not? Who can blame her as she was a beautiful young woman.

Floral tributes spell out the names Nikitta, Kelsey May, Cousin and Niece

Devastated: Mourners console one another after her funeral. She was found stabbed to death in the bedroom of her burnt-out flat

 

'We're missing you Keet, even though you were a pain in the rear. You made us constantly laugh and cry. We love everything about you, sweetheart.

'You would have been a fantastic mum. Kelsey-May, our first granddaughter, we didn't have the chance to spend time with you, sweetheart. You have done ourselves proud.

'Missy, we're missing your muddy footprints - barking, toys and hairs everywhere.

 

A POEM BY HER HEARTBROKEN BOYFRIEND, RYAN MAYES

My love for you runs so deep, it is hard for me to sleep.

I miss you both so much and I know all our plans and hopes are now in my dreams.

I never thought the Lord would take you both away from me so soon.

Just a thought of you makes me cry, I never had a chance to say goodbye.

I always smell your scent, it makes me think of all the times we've spent.

So many things I never got to say Babe, the day God took you a part of me died too.

But now I have to let you rest although my world's a mess.

I miss you both and will love you 'til the day I die.

Your heartbroken boyfriend Ryan XXX.

'We're missing you all so much.'They say love hurts and you'll miss it when it's gone. We never thought that could be true. It's killing us that you're gone, sweetheart.

'There will never, ever be a day when we don't think about you - we'll never stop thinking of you.

'We miss you and we love you, Nikitta. Rest in peace, sweetheart, and look after our granddaughter Kelsey-May and Missy.

'Good night, God bless and sweet dreams, sweetheart, love you.'

The Rev Helen Hall, who led the service, told those gathered: 'We are here to say a formal goodbye to a happy, lively young woman and her much-loved and much-wanted baby.

'If the world was as it should be, and as our loving God desires it to be, there would be no need for a funeral today.

'Both Nikitta and Kelsey-May had everything to live for. There was so much that they could have done and been and given.

'Their time on Earth should not have been so cruelly cut short.

'We are here in the shadow of a terrible injustice and act of evil and we cannot pretend otherwise.'

After the service Nikitta's coffin was carried out of the church to Adele's song 'Make You Feel My Love' before being taken for a private cremation.

 

A tribute left to the tragic pair by boyfriend and father, Ryan

Heartbroken: Nikitta Grender's boyfriend, Ryan Mayes, 18, and her father, Paul, lead the coffin during her funeral earlier today

The family issued a statement after the funeral in which they said: 'We would like to thank everybody for all their support in what has been a traumatic time for our families.

'We realise that there is a long way to go yet. We ask that Nikitta and Kelsey-May are not forgotten as we continue to grieve for them both.

'We continue to live in this nightmare and now have to face the next few months ahead of us awaiting the forthcoming trial.

'We ask to be left alone with friends and family to get through this period.'

Former soldier and nightclub bouncer Carl Whant, 26, of Newport, South Wales has been charged with the murder of the teenager and child destruction. He has been remanded in custody until a preliminary hearing on May 13.