I was unable to get there, but the
Herald Sun has a lovely tribute:
HUNDREDS of family and friends this afternoon bid a final farewell to hero pilot Russell "Rusty" Aitken.
The 42-year-old helicopter pilot, who helped rescue people trapped by flames on Black Saturday, died in a horrific crash in Papua New Guinea earlier this month.
Remembered as an outstanding pilot and instructor, firm friend and above all a loving family man, the former Westpac Life Saver rescue helicopter pilot’s final farewell saw the rescue chopper take off nearby in his honour as mourners, including 14-year-old son Jhi, and brother Marcus carried his coffin to a waiting hearse.
In a moving service, Mr Aitken's wife and childhood sweetheart from the age of 14, Kelly, fought off tears as she said goodbye.
"I have never been without Russell by my side, but now I must go on,'' she said. "Thank you Russell for sharing your life with me. I loved you so much and will miss you everyday for the rest of my life.''
"Fly free now my darling, I have very happy memories of you, which will live with me forever."
Revealing how her husband first caught her eye on a bus as she was a young girl, she was joined by Jhi and her daughter Kyah, 18, and vowed to be mum enough for both in her husband's absence.
"I will continue to be the best mum I can on behalf of both of us - our kids will always come first,'' she said.
"Fly free now my darling, I have very happy memories of you, which will live with me forever, your Kells.''
Also speaking of his father, Jhi revealed a dad who, while regularly overseas for lengthy periods, always had his son's football matches videotaped so he could go through them in minute detail when he returned home.
"Before he left the house for the last time he wrote up on our whiteboard 'if it is to be, it is up to me', now every single day I am going to live by this quote, not just for me but in my dad's honour too,'' he said.
Black Saturday hero pilot an 'awesome family man'
"Dad I will never forget you - there won't be a day that goes by that I won't think of you for the rest of my life.
"You will always be my mentor, including, of course, on the footy ground; you are my inspiration, you are my coach, you are my idol, you are my dad. I love you.''
Kyah lauded a father who daily read her the alphabet from the age of six months and taught her to play chess at three-years-old.
"Things will never be the same again and nothing I can say can compare to him," she said. "I was so lucky to have such a wonderful father for the time I did. Like many fathers are to their children, he was my hero.
"I love you forever daddy.''
Mr Aitken's mother Allison Kirk revealed the last three weeks had been a nightmare for the family as searchers hunted for the downed helicopter and eventually made the heartbreaking discovery of Mr Aitken's body, alongside those of an unnamed NSW man and New Zealander Antony Annan, 49.
Mike Martin, president of Life Saving Victoria, credited the family man as an accomplished pilot who had played a major role in the organisation's rescue services in Victoria.
In a further homage a team of life saver rescue pilots carried Mr Aitken the final stretch, down a staircase, to a waiting hearse.