Friends, teammates of fatal crash teen Justyce Potaka-Kumeroa pay tribute to a mate who made everyone smile

Instead of just being normal teenagers enjoying their holidays or celebrating the end of high school, the friends and teammates of Justyce Potaka-Kumeroa have had to face the inner turmoil of grief this summer. When the 17-year-old basketball prodigy lost his life in a car crash on Christmas Eve, not only did he leave a family and community in mourning, but a wide circle of friends. Some of those friends opened up to the Geraldton Guardian about that deep gaping loss and the impact Justyce had on their lives. Under Maori culture, Justyce’s body was returned to his family home on Sunday and his loved ones will spend three days grieving and celebrating him ahead of his funeral on Wednesday. Justyce recently graduated from Geraldton Senior High School and was on the path to a bright future. Zoe Purcell graduated Year 12 with Justyce. “We’re all still in shock, we all graduated together and we were ready to start the next chapter of our lives,” she said. “Justyce was such a good person. He made everybody smile and he always had the best energy. He cared for everyone, and he’ll be so missed in the community.” Close friend for many years, Sienna Forsyth, struggled to find the words to express what Justyce means to her. ‘ “These next three days are days I never prepared myself for and I don’t think I’ll ever be ready for. I am going to miss his big, beautiful smile, and I am going to miss our late night car park one-on-ones. “Justyce was such a sweet and kind-hearted soul. Words cannot comprehend how much we loved you. I really do hope your happy, Justy. Please look over your family and take care of them. I love you more than you’ll ever know.” Justyce’s impact was felt both on and off the basketball court, that was his second home. His friend and fellow basketball fanatic, Allie Bartlett, will remember Justyce with fondness. “Whenever I think about Justyce, I always picture his big, bright smile,” she said. “I used to pick him up, to take him to school when his mum needed a hand. I enjoyed having our chats about school, friends, girls and basketball, whatever was on his mind.” “Everyone knows how much our boy loved his basketball. I remember we were driving around one day, probably on our way to basketball, he turned the music down and I remember him saying , ‘I’ve been working on my three pointers from the corner, I reckon I’m better than (older teammates) Richie (Bartlett) and Johny (Narkle) now’. “I said he was probably right, but he responded, ‘probably not as good as you but’. I smiled and joked ‘not yet bro’.” Raelene Patten, mother of Justyce’s friend, Jackson Patten, shared her thoughts on his group of friends. “I know Jackson and his mates had an awesome group of Year 12s. They had the best last year at school. Us mums always heard of stories of laughter, and they were lucky to spend so much time together,” she said. “At the basketball court, they travelled to country week together. They bought the trophy home, they had the (school) ball which they all scrubbed up well. They were teammates on and off the field and court, and most of all they were all great mates. That’s how they want to remember him, as a great mate, with laughter and a smile.” That group of boys is affectionately known at Geraldton Senior High School as “the bball boys” — always spending their recesses and lunches on the courts together. Jackson said this of his friend of many years: “Justyce showed us how to always have a smile in whatever you do, being yourself around everyone, how to shoot the basketball from anywhere and most of all, how to love your friends. Love you man.” Fellow country week champion Kaleb Miller said “Justyce was like a brother to me”. “But a lot could say that. When it came to basketball, we really enjoyed playing with each other and learning to trick one another. His smile was a ray of sunshine.” His friend, Isaiah Bos, who he shared a love of many sports, will miss his close bond with Justyce. “I miss seeing your face and our secret handshake brother. Rest easy.” The boys met, as they often did, at the basketball court on Sunday to have a scrimmage “all for Justyce” — one more game where they pushed each other, trash-talked and remembered a mate. Justyce’s funeral, at Activewest Stadium on Wednesday, will start at 1pm and be live streamed. The family have asked people to wear Justyce’s favourite colours, black and white.