A hero on London bridge and a hero all her life, terror victim Kirsty Boden has been remembered as someone "very special" in an emotional farewell in the small Riverland town of Loxton.
Ms Boden's parents Tina and Ken Boden, brother Chris and partner James Hodder joined more than 400 mourners at the Loxton Swimming Pool on Monday to say goodbye to the 28-year-old who died as she went to aid others.
"Kirsty was so brave. I don't just mean what she did that night. We all know she was a hero that night," her partner James Hodder told the gathering.
"I mean all her life.
"She was brave when she left her family to go to boarding school when she won a scholarship, she was brave when she moved to London on her own, arriving with just a suitcase and a smile.
"I could go on with endless examples. But needless to say, that bravery was infectious and it spread to the people around her.
"Kirsty certainly taught me bravery, time and time again."
Ms Boden's father Ken said she meant the world to her family.
She had a "gentle way of pushing you out of your comfort zone", he said.
"We are so proud of our beautiful, independent, adventurous, brave and kind daughter and sister.
"Kirsty, we will love you forever."
Floral tributes to Ms Boden were placed alongside the pool where she was a regular in her youth, as a talented swimmer who went on to set records when she moved to Adelaide to complete her schooling.
Her white coffin was placed alongside the pool.
Her former swimming coach Terry Millar said everyone loved and respected Kirsty and he would give anything to hear her voice again.
"Always smiling, fun loving, just the type of person you wanted to be around," he said.
"If there was a perfect kid, she was it."
Ms Boden was hailed a hero, and dubbed by British media the "Angel of London Bridge", for running to help victims of the attack earlier this month, only to be fatally stabbed herself.
"As she ran towards danger, in an effort to help people on the bridge, Kirsty sadly lost her life," her family said at the time.
"We are so proud of Kirsty's brave actions which demonstrate how selfless, caring and heroic she was, not only on that night, but throughout all of her life.
An online fundraiser set up by Mr Hodder has raised more than $A32,000 in donations from around the world, with the money to be donated to charities reflecting Ms Boden's interests.
On the fundraiser page he said "Kirsty would be smiling" as he thanked people for their generosity.
"Helping people was what she loved to do in her job as a nurse and in her daily life," the page said.
Before the service ended on Monday, longtime friend Melissa Hopper described Ms Boden as outgoing, bubbly and fun.
"How could anyone forget that contagious smile and laugh," she said.
But the final words were left to Ms Boden herself, with the gathering read a post from her travel blog.
"I am realistic. I recognise that I may not go everywhere, but I should definitely go everywhere I can," she wrote.
"And so should you.
"At the risk of sounding cliche, life is short and we should all use the time we have wisely.
"Happy travels."
