EXCLUSIVE He was just another face in the crowd of mourners at Pheobe Bishop's funeral, but the reality will break your heart - and Pheobe's mum reveals the grim memento she's had made from her daughter's REMAINS

Daily Mail​

03-07-2025

Pheobe Bishop's heartbroken boyfriend journeyed almost 5,000km across the width of Australia to say a heartbreaking final farewell to his lost love at her funeral.
Levi, 18, made the heart-wrenching trip from his home in Western Australia to Bundaberg in central Queensland to join her grieving family for the service.
Pheobe, 17, had been on her way to see Levi when she vanished en route from her hometown of Gin Gin to Bundaberg Airport on May 15. She never made the flight and weeks later, police discovered her remains near Goodnight Scrub National Park.
On Thursday, Pheobe's mum Kylie Johnson revealed she had managed to get some of her daughter's hair returned to her to make into lockets as a lasting reminder.
Phoebe's former housemates Tanika Bromley, 33, and James Wood, 34, have now been charged with her murder and are in jail awaiting their next court appearance. Neither has entered pleas.
On Monday, the teen's family gathered with scores of mourners for the service - where everyone wore bright clothes and no-one in black - before a private cremation.
Pheobe's distraught big sister Kaylea was pictured by an AAP photographer being held back by an aunt after she was overcome by emotion as the hearse pulled away.
But just behind Pheobe's family as they watched her coffin drive off, Levi could be seen standing solemnly as he too paid his heartbreaking last goodbye.
'As upsetting as it was, it meant a lot for him to be there as they laid her to rest,' a family friend told Daily Mail Australia.
'His father Rick supported that decision and did everything he could to make sure he was able to attend and get some closure.'
'They were so far away when all this began and Phee went missing and it just added to the pain he was feeling.'
Pheobe had called Levi on the morning she went missing as she was being driven by Wood and Bromley to the airport - but he was unable to hear anything before the call cut off.
Levi waited patiently in vain for her to arrive, dutifully checking flight after flight, until he realised something had gone horribly wrong and raised the alarm.
Levi's father Rick - speaking on his son's behalf – previously opened up to Daily Mail Australia. (We are not revealing Levi's surname at the family's request.)
Rick said Levi was traumatised by Pheobe's death - but said the family wanted to pay tribute to the special bond between the lovestruck teenagers.
'Levi absolutely adored Pheobe,' he said.
'They would video chat all night, every night, falling asleep - and then they would tell each other who was sleep-talking the next day,' Rick told Daily Mail Australia.
'It was a bit cute.'
The tragedy marks the second heartbreaking loss for Levi's family in just four years.
His father Rick revealed Levi's mother, Jade Warry, was killed in a car crash in Bundaberg in 2020, a devastating blow that eventually prompted the family to relocate across the country in search of a fresh start.
'His beautiful mum had a car accident on New Year's Eve 2020, and the kids would go past the site every day on the school bus,' Rick said.
'It was too hard on them, the constant reminder.
Ms Warry's funeral was held just a short drive from Pheobe's service, in the Rose Chapel in Bundaberg, in January 2021, where mourners were also encouraged to wear bright colours to celebrate the life of the beloved mother-of-six.
Jade was travelling on Bucca Road in Bundaberg when her vehicle crashed into a tree just before 9pm.
A passing motorist found Jade and paramedics were called to the scene - but nothing could be done to save her life.
Rick and Jade had been planning their wedding for the following year and he admitted he was devastated by the loss.
Pheobe and Levi both attended the same local school, but Rick and his family faced daily reminders of the horrific tragedy, and the father decided he needed to move far away to escape the confronting traumatic scene.
'Moving to WA was the best move,' he said. 'I never thought I'd see them happy again.
'And it meant the world to us for Pheobe to come over.'
The father-of-six said the couple had been excited for weeks about their reunion and were busily planning out every detail.
'Levi had bought Pheobe a Canon camera worth $1,000 because she wanted to get into photography,' he said.
'A week before she was supposed to land, Levi had packed the 4WD up with camping gear.
'He had planned a trip to Esperance in WA, camping on the beach with Pheobe.
'They were both really excited about that.
'It's so heartbreaking seeing what could have been a beautiful future together shattered into pieces.'
Pheobe's funeral notice described her as the 'beloved daughter of Kylie and Ray, Kevin and Stacey. Dearly loved sister of Jamie, Jesse, Kaylea, Ruby-Leigh, Aybel and sister-in-law to Janay. Loving aunty to Tallullah. Much loved niece, cousin and friend to many'.
Ms Johnson said she was 'devastated' to farewell her daughter.
'This is absolutely everybody's worst nightmare. However, we promised to get Phee home and give her a send-off that Phee would approve of, and that's what will happen,' she said in a statement.
In a post to Instagram on Thursday, Ms Johnson showcased the lockets she had made for herself and sister Kaylea to keep a connection with Pheobe close to their hearts forever.
'We had these beautiful pieces designed by Ash Northern Jewellery Co - The Workshop in Bundaberg!' she posted.
'We now have a piece of Phee Phee wherever we go, she's with us.
'Ash has been amazing, compassionate and empathetic on this journey with us, and honestly Kaylea and I love what she's done!