By Brendan Rees
A much-loved teenager who “went through so much in his life,” is being remembered as “determined” and “courageous young man”.
Connor Oregan died peacefully at his Hampton Park home after sadly succumbing to multiple health conditions including cerebral palsy last month.
His smile that would “lighten up anybody’s day” and big heart will now be his legacy as his bereaved family come to terms with the devastating loss of their son and doting brother of three sisters aged seven, 11, and 15.
Mum Belinda Oregan said Connor had an incredible fighting spirit in spite of living with polymicrogyria, dystonia, scoliosis and epilepsy, which resulted in countless surgeries.
“He is the most remarkable young man. His giggle was so infectious and his cheekiness was so unique,” she said.
“He taught me how to love unconditionally, be strong, use my voice, stand up for him, but most of all he just had the ability to illuminate our world.”
Sadly, Connor wasn’t able to celebrate his eighteenth birthday in August due to Melbourne’s stage-four lockdown, but his family hoped to mark the occasion properly in the future.
They have since set up a GoFundMe in the hope to raise funds to hold a memorial with friends and family in his honour once restrictions ease.
“He is so loved, he is so treasured, he is so precious, he is our gift, he is our light and he is our hero,” Ms Oregan said. “I always called Connor his royal highness as he was nothing less than that but he is also just my dude.”
She said her son was “incredibly in awe” of his sisters, who had struggled since his passing on 13 September.
“No matter if they walked into the room or watched them perform calisthenics on stage the love that he portrayed to them was unique and so precious.”
Ms Oregan said she was distraught she wouldn’t have the opportunity to give him a blanket for Christmas, which she was in the process of creating.
“I wanted him to have this to keep him warm and have photos of us everywhere he went whether it be school, home or respite,” she said.
“I wanted him to know how strong, determined and how proud I am of him. No words can describe to anybody how in awe and how inspiring he is to me. So, I put together a poem about that so he would carry that with him always.”
Connor’s stepfather Craig Young said Connor was “extremely popular” with his friends at Narre Warren South P-12 College and Nepean School in Seaford.
He said Connor loved singing karaoke with his sisters, and was obsessed “with anything to do with” cars and space.
And despite being confined to a wheelchair and unable to communicate he said Connor “knew everything that was going on” and “everywhere he went all he did was smile”.
He said the messages of support the family had received were “unbelievable”.“Connor has left us all heartbroken but we will never forget him, his smile and his laughter,” the GoFundMe page read. “Your sisters will miss you immensely, as will your Mum and Dad Love from all of us.”
To donate, visit: https://www.gofundme.com/f/4ayazu-memorial-for-connor
