KYLE Cogan's favourite saying was, "I don't have a disability; I have an inconvenience".
It was a motto indicative of the positive outlook displayed by the Wangaratta resident during his 36 years, and which helped make him an adored member of his family and the local community.
From his membership of the Wangaratta Lions Club to his regular appearances in the Wangaratta Chronicle, from his time spent traversing the district by tandem bike with fellow local Ron Webb, to his job at Superior Joinery, Kyle loved being part of community life.
So it was no surprise following his passing in late February that Kyle's funeral service at Mason Park was attended by about 350 friends and family members, including a guard of honour at the conclusion.
It was a fitting tribute to an inspirational young man, who was born in Wangaratta on August 7, 1987 to loving parents Rod and Jenny.
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Four days after his arrival, Kyle was airlifted to the Royal Children's Hospital, where Rod and Jenny were to learn of his blindness and kidney problems; with the unwavering support of his parents, he defied early medical predictions.
Kyle had two kidney transplants, in 1996 and 2009, with seven and a half years of dialysis in between.
Despite these challenges, he remained an extremely inquisitive child, taking in everything that was happening around him and asking lots of questions.
Rod and Jenny helped fill in the gaps, talking to him about his surroundings, TV shows, music, machinery and his favourite topic: cars.
Kyle's memory was the envy of many, and he could provide the make, model and even potentially the colour of a passing car based on what he knew and heard.
Likewise, during his years at Coronation Kindergarten, Yarrunga Primary School, Ovens College and Galen College, he could recognise teachers and fellow students by their voices, footsteps, and even the perfumes they wore.
Kyle loved going out for cappuccinos, cakes, sausage rolls and meals, as much for the social interaction as for the food - which he always proclaimed was good, but not as good as that whipped up by his mum.
He could converse with anyone of any age on most topics, as he was extremely well-read, with the assistance of braille, audio books and his talking computer.
Kyle had proudly lived independently since 2012; he joined the Wangaratta Lions Club in 2015 and enjoyed the friendship with fellow members; and he worked two mornings each week as 'quality controller' at Superior Joinery, a job in which he took great pride.
He overcame the "inconvenience" of his vision impairment to rack up experiences such as flying in a Tiger Moth, and driving at speeds of up to 140kph at Sandown Raceway.
Kyle's tandem rides with Ron Webb continued over 10 years and 6000km, and focused on the "four Cs" - cycling, chatter, coffee and company.
In August last year, Kyle commenced chemotherapy, which he completed in December, and in January this year his health declined.
On January 30 he was airlifted to the Royal Melbourne Hospital, where he remained until his passing on February 27, with his loving parents by his side as they always were.
