HUNDREDS of mourners gathered at Mentone Girls Grammar School last week to farewell Bianca Jones.
Bianca Jones and her friend Holly Bowles died last month after falling victim to suspected methanol poisoning while on holiday in Laos. They were both aged just 19. Jones’ former high school hosted her funeral on Friday, 6 December. Mentone Girls Grammar principal Natalie Charles shared a statement from the Jones family prior to the funeral, which read “your kindness has been a source of strength and comfort for our family.”
“Today is a profoundly significant day as we come together to honour Bianca’s life and to say our final goodbyes,” the family’s statement read. “The immense love shown by so many is a testament to the profound impact she had, reflected in the scale of today’s farewell.”
The Jones family said they hope that the stories of their daughter and her friend will “drive change and inspire efforts to save lives. “Their legacies are far too important to be forgotten and our children’s lives too important not to protect.”
Bianca Jones graduated from Mentone Girls Grammar School in 2023. A fundraiser to support the Jones and Bowles families, and to help them spread awareness about methanol poisoning, has raised more than $400,000. To donate visit gofundme.com/f/holly-and-bianca-friends-forever
First published in the Chelsea Mordialloc Mentone News – 10 December 2024