EXCLUSIVE
A young model has tragically died, as a friend reveals she tried to call him on New Year’s Eve – but he was unable to take her call.
Emily ‘Emmy’ Finberg, 30, from Ballina in NSW’s Northern Rivers region, suddenly died on January 2.
One shattered friend said she tried to reach out to him just days earlier but he was unable to take her call.
‘[She] phoned me on NYE but I am at sea so can only text, so I sent RUOK,’ he oisted online.
Another friend said: ‘I just wish she had called or come around. She was a good horse girl and good for a laugh. Very very sad.’
Loved ones have been told by relatives to address her death as an accident.
Throughout her life, Ms Finberg worked in various roles, including as a model and farm hand – working alongside horses, which she had loved since she was a child.
At the time of her death, she was employed as a truck driver for cement company Boral and was a member of the Mullumbimby Pony Club.
As the community comes to terms with the tragedy, tributes have flowed online for Ms Finberg, who has been remembered as ‘fierce, funny, and kind’.
A relative said Ms Finberg’s life changed when she was around 12 and was gifted a horse, called Flash, which she absolutely doted upon.
‘Emmy’s responsibility and care for Flash was unwavering, and the work of feeding, exercising, and grooming Flash got done no matter what weather, no matter the 4am starts,’ she said.
‘As an adult, Emmy took the same perseverance, and work ethic to every job (usually two or three jobs at a time). I could not be more proud of her grit and spirit.’
Friend Jasmin Miller said the world is now ‘undeniably less bright without her radiant presence’.
‘She was a force of nature – hilarious, vibrant, and endlessly kind,’ she said.
‘Emmy had a way of making everyone feel welcome and loved, lighting up every room with her infectious energy and laughter.
‘There was no one like Emmy. Nor will there ever be anyone like Emmy.
‘Her love for animals, especially her beloved fur baby, Chopper, was unmatched. She cherished life, friends, family, and all creatures great and small.
‘We are heartbroken.’
Her aunt Aviva Finberg described her as ‘the boldest, bravest person I will ever know’ and the ‘most feminine truck driver ever to grace this earth.
‘We spent the weekend together recently and she hugged me and held me so tight for so long,’ Ms Finberg wrote online.
‘I will always remember her [saying] “Can I have another Amaretto Sour please” at Capiche in Ballina. So ladylike. As if we were on the French Riviera.
‘She used to say ” I love you forever”. Well this is forever, now, my darling girl.’
Ms Miller has set up a GoFundMe to raise funds to help cover the cost of her funeral.
‘As we navigate this difficult time, we’re reaching out to Emmy’s friends, and anyone whose life she touched to help us give her the farewell she deserves, In true EMMY fashion!’ she said.
‘Any contribution, big or small, will go towards celebrating Emmy’s beautiful life.
‘Thank you for your kindness, love, and support. Let’s honor Emmy’s memory the way she deserves.’
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