The first anniversary of Kelly’s death

The first anniversary of Kelly Waititi’s death is marked not by an end to grief but by a gathering in which Ava Spirini and Kelly’s family tell stories about Kelly’s life. At MacGreggor Park, laughter and tears coexist; the occasion makes remembrance shared and celebratory without suggesting that loss has passed.

The Anniversary Gathering

A few months before a later May afternoon, Ava, her father, and Kelly’s family stand beneath the rotunda at MacGreggor Park, the place associated with the anniversary. They recall the outrageous things Kelly used to do, laughing and crying happy tears as they celebrate her life. The scene gives the anniversary a particular texture: grief remains present, but memory also brings pleasure and connection.

Ava and Lincoln

As Ava and her father walk toward the family, Lincoln comes over and hugs Ava so tightly that he lifts her feet off the ground. She experiences the embrace as awkward, familiar, and changed all at once. In the months around the anniversary, they do not speak much; occasional exchanges of silly jokes preserve a connection that Ava cannot neatly classify as friendship or family. She neither regrets what happened between them nor feels proud of it, a measured response that reflects the complicated history they share after Kelly’s death.

A Milestone, Not a Cure

The anniversary sits against the drawn-out time of Ava’s bereavement. Six months after Kelly’s death, Ava feels that life has slowed and counts the Sundays since the loss; she expects the sadness to last. By the later May scene, she can describe feeling calm while acknowledging that sadness, hurt, anger, confusion, grief, and love remain. She continues to see Nola for therapy every fortnight and uses the image of a box to think about feelings that may be present without overwhelming her at every moment.

Remembering While Moving Forward

Ava rejects the idea that she must simply move on from Kelly, whom she regards as her soul sister, and understands their love as continuing after death. At the same time, she distinguishes moving forward from leaving Kelly behind: she believes she owes it to Kelly to keep living, and that Kelly wanted the end of her pain rather than the end of her life. The anniversary gathering embodies that distinction. Its stories keep Kelly present in the lives of those who loved her, while its laughter and tears show that remembrance can hold more than one feeling at once.