LUKE Dillon, the passenger who died in the motor vehicle crash along the Palisadoes Main Road on June 21, was remembered as a charming, well-mannered and respectful student who was determined to become a ship’s captain.

The Mass of the Christian Burial for the life of the 19-year-old was held at Sts Peter & Paul Church located along Old Hope Road in Kingston last Saturday.

Tributes were offered by Captain Devron Newman, Dean of Marine and Professional Studies, Caribbean Maritime Institute, Sister Pashcal and Bobby deMarcado, cousins, and Susie Braham, friend.

According to Newman, Dillon was one of the youngest students to have been enrolled at the institute with a diligent character worth emulating.

“Luke was no ordinary student. He was the youngest in his class. I remember granting permission for him to be accepted in the officer programme at the tender age of 17 with little persuasion from his mother. Those who know his mother would understand what I mean. She said ‘Mr Newman, my son is only 17 but I really want him to get into in this year see what you can do for me please.’ Her request was granted and he was accepted in August of 2010 to pursue studies to become a navigation officer. As a cadet, Luke built a temple of honour, showed unselfish devotion to duty, established a good rapport with his peers, was very polite and respected everyone,” he added.

He said after being enrolled at CMI, Dillon successfully completed his first year of studies, got his first assignment in April 2012 to serve the German shipping company, Harren & Partners and was assigned on board the M/V Pampero – a feeder container vessel operating in North and South America. He spent six months on deck for that assignment as a deck cadet.

“Captain Metin Cevik, one of the captains with whom Luke had sailed, was impressed with his performance and promised to hire him after completing his exams. Coincidentally, that very same captain arrived at Luke’s house on the day of his passing, because his ship was at anchorage in Kingston Harbour awaiting cargo. He spent most of the night with Luke’s family,” Newman said.

“As I perused his monthly performance appraisals that were done while he was at sea, I was not surprised to read comments like, ‘good start,’ ‘steady progress’ and ‘good performance’. Luke was the kind of student anyone would want to have. He was a student with complete integrity and boundless enthusiasm for whatever task he took in hand,” Newman added.

Paschal recalled Luke’s birth and the memorable moments he shared with his family and loved ones during his short life.

“My loving family relations with Luke began when he was born on July 22, 1994. I went to the hospital and I looked into the crib and I saw a beautiful loving face with his eyes closed. I saw him grow into a young man that we were all proud of,” she said.

Before those tributes, deMarcado sang a rendition of Elvis Presley’s Can’t Help Fallen in Love and The Wonder of You.

Dillon was buried a week after his friend O’Brien Tapper, who also died in the tragic motor vehicle accident.

Tapper was the driver of the blue Honda Civic motor car which collided with a Mitsubishi Pajero that was headed in the opposite direction.

Both students would have been sitting their final examinations at CMI this month with the expectations of gaining their licences and launching their careers.

Dillon’s remains will be cremated.

His death leaves a void in the lives of his mother, Marcia, father, Tony, two brothers, Kyle and Chad, other relatives and friends.