It took the sudden illness and death of a 15-year-old to remind Bermuda about its priorities and his family hopes the message of love and spiritual awareness will continue to resonate.

Dakarai Tucker passed away on January 25 after being in a coma for nearly two weeks. His body was flown back to the Island on Wednesday and his funeral on Sunday is expected to be standing room only.

Dakarai was rushed to Johns Hopkins Children's Hospital in Baltimore after collapsing at Warwick Academy on January 14.

A blood vessel in his brain had ruptured, but the doctors were unable to save him due to severe swelling in his brain.

Since news spread of the prominent footballer's condition the community banded together to raise money and send prayers to Dakarai and his family.

"We arrived back on Tuesday," his father Stephen Tucker said. "And the support and the love from the community is still there. People are offering to help us with everything, but there are some things that we must do alone.

"I cannot express who wonderful it has been to see people's response. It is unbelievable. I can already see a change in how people are interacting with one another.

"It is sad that it has to happen at times when we loose loved ones. He has changed people because of him they know that life is not a guarantee and we must appreciate it.

"I believe Bermuda was getting to a place where people were too involved with themselves and we forgot about others. People forgot about being spiritual.

"But that is not what we have seen from the community now, everyone supported Dakarai and people are still supporting us."

And he said that Dakarai's legacy would continue as the family was exploring a variety of options. One thing he made clear was that his family's connection with Dakarai's school, Warwick Academy, would continue.

"The school has been amazing, that is one incredible family," he said. "I'll be working with them forever.

"Its clear that Dakarai was loved by his classmates and they loved him too."

Mr. Tucker added that Dakarai's younger siblings, Ajani, 11, Omari, nine and Shani, five are devastated.

But he said the family has been working together to keep them on a regular schedule of football, bowling and school.

He added that Paget Primary, where the younger ones go, has been wonderful and that the family has organised for counsellors to see the children.

"It is something we will have to monitor," he said. "They were extremely close to him and looked up to Dakarai. It will take some time for everyone to come to terms with it."

His funeral will be held at he Seventh Day Adventist Church in Hamilton at 2 p.m. on Sunday.