The parents of Jayson Humphries are beside themselves with grief.
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They sit on their sofa in Oxley and clutch each other's hands. The mother weeps and wipes the tears from her eyes.
Their 28-year-old son was killed in a car crash in the middle of a Saturday morning at the beginning of April.
The father of two young children was the passenger when the driver lost control, crossed the verge and hit another car.
But the parents' grief is made worse because they have been told they have to restrict the number of mourners at his funeral this week.
In the three weeks since the death of their son, Peter and Maria Humphries have been trying to get the limit on the funeral lifted - without success.
"Please let us bury our son with dignity," Mr Humphries said.
He and Jayson's mother, Maria, finish each other's sentences as they talk about their anguish.
"Jayson has left behind his partner and two beautiful little boys - Eli and Luka," he said.
The two boys won't be at the funeral - they are too young - but their grandparents still think a full family funeral is the right way to pay a final farewell to their father.
"We just want the best for the boys - to say goodbye to their father," Mr Humphries said.
Please let us bury our son with dignity.
- Peter Humphries
The parents live in Canberra but the funeral will be in Queanbeyan where many of Jayson's friends were from.
The rule for funerals during the coronavirus crisis is that there can be no more than 10 people, including funeral directors.
Seven funerals have exceeded the limit so far on compassionate grounds though special exemptions from the ACT government.
But this funeral is in New South Wales where the rules have been applied much more strictly because the virus has been rampant in parts of the state.
The Queanbeyan police have talked to the funeral directors in Canberra - but the funeral directors are in a difficult position because they face heavy fines if they were involved in what would amount to an illegal gathering.
In New South Wales, individuals could be jailed for six months plus a fine of $11,000. Companies face fines of $55,000
Some Canberra funeral directors have actually told bereaved families the coffin will not leave the hearse if there are too many mourners.
But that doesn't alter the fact Jayson Humphries was young, with a family of his own and many friends and a big extended family, including five brothers and a sister.
"He was loved by a lot of people," his mother said.
His parents can't understand why they can go into supermarkets where they say people walk very close to each other - but not have many people at an open-air funeral for their son.
They accept that the virus is serious. They also accept the need for the rules but they say none of the mourners have been overseas and they have all agreed to keep their distance.
They also say that people would wait in cars and watch a live-stream from a phone and then go in twos to the grave-side to say farewell to their beloved friend and family member.
Mr Humphries said the police would be welcome to observe the funeral to make sure everybody keeps a safe, virus-free distance.
- For information on COVID-19, please go to the ACT Health website or the federal Health Department's website.
- You can also call the Coronavirus Health Information Line on 1800 020 080
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