Heartfelt tributes paid to local girl after tragic death

The Limavady High School student’s strong Christian faith in the face of her difficult struggle with illness touched many across County Londonderry.

Leah’s funeral left her late home in Greysteel on Sunday (January 19) at 1.30 p.m. for a Service of Thanksgiving at 2.30 p.m. in Kilfennan Presbyterian Church. She was buried in Ballyoan Cemetery.

Friends, family and indeed the entire community posted heartfelt tributes to the local girl after her untimely death on Thursday, January 16, 2014.

The Deputy Mayor of Limavady was amongst those to pay tribute to the teenager, saying: “Leah Whyte left this scene of time to be with her Lord and Saviour. In recent weeks and months she has reached and touched the lives of countless people with her story and her faith.

“Please continue to pray for her Mum and Dad all her family and friends in the days ahead. I know everyone in Limavady will join with me in offering our deepest sympathy and our full support at this difficult time.”

Local councillor Alan Robinson, one of many to use social media website Facebook to pay tribute to Leah, wrote: “I’ve received many hundreds of messages over this past year or two but I can’t ever recall getting a message that brought a tear to my eye like the one received at 2.45pm today, from 16-year-old Leah Whyte’s Mother. I’m going to take the unusual step and post the words of a Mother who an hour earlier had just lost her little girl to the ravages of Cancer. For all the complaining that all of us do, sometimes over trivial matters, (me included) these words could maybe help to put our lives and our troubled land into a little perspective. ‘At 1.40 in the Children’s Hospice surrounded by those she loved and listening to her favourite Christian music, beautiful Leah went home to Jesus very peacefully.’”