Levi-Jackson Furnivall: Mother reveals son, 17, wanted to check on a friend before Tonkin Highway fatal crash

A teenager who died in a car crash on Tonkin Highway this week was about to start an apprenticeship as a mechanic.

Levi-Jackson Furnivall, 17, was a backseat passenger in a red Mitsubishi Magna sedan which left the highway near Gosnells Road East before the car rolled and hit a tree about 1.40am on Thursday.

His mother, Atariki Simon-Wharepapa, said the last thing her son told her before he left home was that he was checking on a friend.

She said he was set to organise his tax file number before starting a mechanics apprenticeship.

Ms Simon-Whararapa, said all she wanted was for people to “celebrate my boy’s life” after his death.

“The driver and the passenger in the front were not harmed, which I’m grateful for, but my boy lost his life,” she said. “I know he was with his mates . . . he hadn’t heard from one of his best friends all day, and they wanted to go check on him.

“The crash was at 1am, but he left at five in the afternoon, and he said he wasn’t going to be long.”

His mother said he hadn’t like school and “couldn’t wait” to start a mechanics apprenticeship.

“I couldn’t get a hold of him this morning . . . I texted one of his other mates, there was no answer, and I was in the shower when I found out (he died),” Ms Simon-Wharepapa said.

“We are just broken. He was here yesterday, laughing with us and joking with his sister. Since he was a baby, he always had a lot of energy, he always lived on the edge — he was riding bloody dirt bikes at four years old.

“I always told him I was going to have a bloody heart attack because he always lived on the edge. He just had a big heart, a really big heart.”

The young man leaves behind a 13-year-old brother and seven-year-old sister. Ms Simon-Wharepapa did not know if her son was wearing a seatbelt.

The 19-year-old driver suffered minor injuries and another passenger, also 19, was uninjured.

Ms Simon-Wharepapa said that while she was “hurting,” she was not angry at the driver.

“I’ve been trying to get a hold of his mates, I think they’re a bit scared to come see me, and I just want to let them know it’s OK,” she said.

“I‘m angry at the situation, and kids, they’ve got to learn, but I can’t blame that boy. I don’t want anyone to hate on the driver, because I know he’s got a lot of friends, and I know they’re all probably going to want to rebel, but I don’t want that.”

Levi-Jackson’s friends paid tribute online to the young man, with one person saying they were “forever grieving for you, hurting for you, and living for you”.

“Gone way too soon my brother, I never imagined losing a friend, it was just something I didn’t think would happen,” they said.

Major crash officers spent Thursday morning examining the scene of the crash.

Police are still investigating the cause of the fatal incident and urge anyone who saw the crash, to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or via www.crimestopperswa.com.au

Dash-cam or mobile phone vision relating to this crash can be uploaded directly to investigators via this link.

Road Trauma Support: 1300 004 814