More than 100 balloons were released over Lake Burley Griffin Thursday evening in memory of Canberra's Cathy Marsh.
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The Watson mother was one of two ACT women who died in a car crash near Bendigo on Sunday, December 6. She was 48 years old.
Close to 100 family and friends gathered on the dock beside the National Museum of Australia for the memorial service.
A sea of blue and pink balloons drifted over the glistening water as the sun began to set over the Brindabella Range - a vibrant spectacle in memory of a woman remembered for brightening the lives of others.
Her son Keane, 19, who released the last three balloons over the water, said his mother had been interstate on a nine-day 533-kilometre bike ride with her best friend, who was also killed in the collision.
Mr Keane said he had brief contact with his mum on her rest days.
"The last thing she properly said to me was, 'I've just brought all of your Christmas presents, I can't wait to see you', so that's something I'll remember," he said.
Ms Marsh, who moved to Canberra from Alice Springs as a young girl, operated her own book-keeping business and was also a personal trainer.
She also leaves behind her husband, Simon.
Their son described her as caring, dedicated and welcoming, with three times as many people coming along for the memorial service than he initially expected.
"She'd do anything for anyone she loved," he said.
"She was so inclusive.
"I talked to her everyday, she was always there for me."
Mr Marsh said his mother was also very instinctive and intuitive.
"When she was pregnant with me ... she had a dream that I was going to be a boy and that I was going to be a business man and take her on overseas trips," he said. "I ended up studying business at school and won an award for it. She was saying it was exactly what she thought could happen.
"She always knew when something was wrong. There was a time I needed her help but when I spoke to her on the phone I couldn't really express to her what was wrong but she knew she just had to find me.
"She was always able to know things before they happened. She could always foresee things. She couldn't have foreseen this."
