SURREY, B.C. _ In a clear, strong voice, the mother of a young man mowed down in an apparent road rage incident sang a song she wrote in his memory at his packed funeral Thursday.

About 1,200 people gathered at the Cloverdale Bibleway Church in a remarkable outpouring of joy, song and celebration to mark the life of Silas O'Brien, who police say was killed when a truck charged at him and his two friends. His friends escaped.

The spacious church was filled almost an hour before the service and drew people from the Fraser Valley and Washington State.

The aura of strong faith in the face of terrible tragedy permeated the entire service that was marked not by uncontrollable weeping and crushing grief, but by soaring hymns, articulate speakers and an unshakable feeling that Silas O'Brien was in a better place.

Michelle O'Brien sang ``A Mother's Prayer,'' with inspirational lyrics that seemed to have the congregation spellbound not only by her voice and the strength of the lyrics but also by an apparent admiration for her courage.

O'Brien's eldest brother Jacob delivered the eulogy and also sang a song called ``The Anchor Holds.''

Speakers referred to others as ``brother'' and ``sister'' and cries of ``Amen'' punctuated the moving messages of many of the speakers.

Jacob recalled his brother was known as ``Silent Si'' as a young boy because he was so quiet.

With six brothers and sisters, Jacob recalled to laughter in the church that dinnertime often resembled the television show ``Survivor.''

He said Silas was born in Whitehorse and the family moved to the Fraser Valley when he was nine.

Once, on a hiking trip in the Rockies with Silas, Jacob recalled the thrill of reaching a level of about 3,500 metres.

Silas was more impressed with the awesome view.

``He said, `Jake, this has got to be what Heaven is like.'''

Jacob said that while Silas grew up in a Christian home, it was only recently that he got baptized and ``gave his heart to the Lord.''

Jacob said that his ``greatest joy and consolation is if through Silas's death, people come to know Jesus.''

Samuel Dooley, who was driving the pickup truck in which O'Brien was a passenger last week, also sang a song.

Dooley amused the congregation by saying that ``Silas is having a laugh right now.''

``First of all because I am singing and second because there's a lot of people here that are dressed up,'' he said.

``Thank God for allowing us to have the time we had with him. He was such a rad dude.''

O'Brien and his two friends _ Dooley and Luke Stevens _ were driving to the airport last Thursday when the incident that eventually left O'Brien dead occurred.

Police said last week that Dooley's Silverado was forced into the ditch in Langley, B.C., and a white Ford F250 continued westbound.

As the three men got out to survey the damage to the vehicle, a silver Honda pulled over to see if they were OK.

Police said after the Honda left, the Ford returned and attempted to mow down all three men and that O'Brien was not able to get out of the way.

Police called the incident a ``cowardly'' act after announcing the suspect driver's arrest last week, hours after O'Brien's death.

But RCMP have not laid charges and police have not released his name.

RCMP say charges won't likely be laid for some time as the investigation continues.

Pastor Ed Byskal called Silas in life a ``much loved, son, brother, friend'' who, in death, ``has left a permanent imprint on the hearts of people across this nation.''

The pastor challenged the congregation to take something away from the service _ ``a resolve, a determination that this service will make a difference.''

The final speaker, who called himself Brother Tom Rae, recounted how Silas had come to him not long ago and worried that if he accepted Jesus, he would lose ``a lot of friends from his old life.''

He made the choice, said Rae.

``Behold the man,'' said Rae, his voice rising. ``Not just the son of Roger and Michelle.

``I want you to see that he was a son of God.''

The funeral closed with a final hymn from the Cloverdale Bibleway Youth Choir called Stand _ a song that seemed to characterize the entire tone of the service.

``It don't matter where you bury me,

I'll be home and I'll be free,

It don't matter where I lay,

All my tears are washed away.''

A burial followed the service at the nearby Langley Lawn Cemetery.