The Kyabram toddler’s life was tragically cut short when she drowned at Portarlington Pier on Thursday, September 3, leaving behind her devastated parents and siblings.
Billee and Patrick Greaney, and their children Eliza, Nate and Miranda, are remembering Anna as a cheeky girl who loved playing with her siblings and singing along to her favourite TV show, Bluey.
“We want her to be remembered as the happy, cheeky girl she was, who always tried to put a smile on people’s faces,” Mrs Greaney said.
“She loved playing, loved the beach and her siblings were her best friends.”
The family has been overwhelmed with support, as the Kyabram and Portarlington communities grieve.
In Portarlington, where the Greaneys are living, people were stopping by daily with meals and messages of support, while from afar in Girgarre, Mrs Greaney’s sister Natassja Hindson set up a GoFundMe web page to help the family return to Kyabram.
The family moved to Portarlington in November last year and was planning to move back to Kyabram later this year.
But despite being relatively new to the area, the Greaneys are being well supported by the Portarlington community.
“The entire mood here was very sombre; when my siblings arrived at the motel the owners were crying when they saw them,” Mrs Greaney said.
“There has also been tributes down at the pier, people have been placing toys and flowers there.”
At the time of writing, the GoFundMe page had raised more than $32,000, well beyond the $25,000 target.
Mrs Greaney said there had even been people in Kyabram offering to vacate their homes so that the family could move back sooner.
“We’ve had people delivering meals and groceries, and the donations to the GoFundMe blew us away,” she said.
“Patrick can’t imagine leaving the family to go back to work at this time so it’s such a blessing to have that.”
Even though visitors aren’t allowed during the current COVID-19 restrictions, the Greaneys said they had not felt alone.
“We just want to say thank you. For the money but more so for your messages and calls. We may not have responded but we read it, and we really appreciate you being there,” Mrs Greaney said.
The Greaneys plan to return to Kyabram later this month.