Slain teen Emily Finn’s kind-hearted, but prophetic phrases nonetheless ring in her grieving mom’s ears.
“Anger is simply the results of damage,” she instructed her mother, Cliantha Miller-Finn, as they drove to their West Sayville residence a couple of quick weeks in the past.
Now, Miller-Finn is taking her daughter’s recommendation after the bubbling dancer was senselessly gunned down, allegedly by her ex-boyfriend Austin Lynch, 18, in a botched murder-suicide final week.
Pews had been packed at a funeral for Finn, 18, Monday inside St. John’s Lutheran church in Sayville — the identical home of worship the place the vivacious teen was baptized and obtained her first communion.
Combating again tears, Miller-Finn powerfully eulogized her daughter as a “pure angel,” a Woman Scout from kindergarten to the top of highschool and a SUNY Oneonta freshman finding out to grow to be a trainer, whereas nonetheless discovering time to affix the faculty’s 160-strong dance workforce.
“She had a calling — her path was to show after which she would train dance. She was going to be dancing, educating, and having fun with life,” Miller-Finn stated.
However Finn’s goals had been tragically minimize quick in a Nov. 26 burst of violence.
After a breakup ended their 3-year relationship, Finn went to Lynch’s residence in Nesconset to return a few of his belongings. He shot and killed her, earlier than turning the gun on himself, police stated.
Lynch survived, nevertheless, regardless of taking pictures himself within the face, police stated.
A household good friend described Lynch as heartbroken after his “pet love” romance with Finn ended as she went off to school.
He’ll doubtless be arraigned on a second-degree homicide cost when docs medically clear him, a spokesperson for the Suffolk County District Lawyer’s Workplace stated.
Lynch’s identify wasn’t uttered throughout the funeral, for which mourners had been inspired to put on a splash of pink — Finn’s favourite colour — and donate to the Nationwide Coalition In opposition to Home Violence.
As a substitute, Finn’s joyous spirit hung over the service. Her cousin Luke strummed out a rendition of “Hallelujah” on his guitar and recounted how he was excited to share a birthday with the youthful Finn.
“However then what occurred was, hastily, my celebration was filled with all princess decorations,” he stated to laughs.
Miller-Finn instructed the bereaved crowd that she believes Finn has been sending her “indicators” from the afterlife — flickering lights of their residence and a misplaced cat meowing exterior the wake.
Finn, her mom instructed the gang, had introduced residence a rescue cat in June.
“She’s actually letting us know,” she stated. “It brings me a lot peace to know she’s at peace.”
However lingering ache and unanswered questions stay, Miller-Finn acknowledged — as she turned to her daughter’s phrases about anger for solace.
“It’s apparent, there’s a variety of anger,” she stated. “All the questions left.
“Issues that may want time to heal.”
