Charlie Stevens’ extraordinary final act is revealed as the South Australian police commissioner’s son is laid to rest after Schoolies ‘hit-and-run’ tragedy

The parents of murdered teenager Charlie Stevens have revealed their 'caring' boy was an organ donor as they praised his generosity in an emotional and movingly funny tribute.

Charlie – the 18-year-old son of South Australian Police Assistant Commissioner Grant Stevens – was killed in an alleged collision while celebrating Schoolies earlier this month.

His father, mother Emma, ​​four siblings and friends paid heartbreaking tributes at a twilight service in the William Magarey Room at Adelaide Oval on Thursday.

Mr Stevens told hundreds of mourners his son was “no angel” but said he cared about people, with his generosity extending to being an organ donor.

“He really cared about people. Everyone knew Charlie. He was known for his big heart and his big smile,” Mr Stevens said.

“Charlie Stevens was no angel, but he was a good boy. He had a great personality, a big heart and a good soul.

“He was incredibly generous and his generosity extended to being an organ donor, something we talked to him about when he got his driver's license.”

The heartbroken father said everyone who knew Charlie was devastated by the loss, but he always smiles when he thinks of his 18-year-old son.

“Charlie, your mother and I love you. We are devastated. That you were taken from us so quickly,” Mr. Stevens said.

“We said you were a force of nature, full of energy, unstoppable. Unforgettable.

“We are heartbroken (but) we can't think of you without smiling.

“We've missed you every day since we said goodbye and we'll miss you forever, Charlie boy.”

He said Charlie was a unique, intense and determined individual with a “cheeky ratbag streak” that helped him get away with more than his four older siblings.

Mr Stevens said his son was 'destined to be a tradie', with his parents gifting him a real hammer and cordless drill at Christmas when he was just three years old.

“Some of our friends thought it was irresponsible for us to give him an exercise,” Mr Stevens said.

'But we were sensible, he had to settle for a toy circular saw instead of a real one, much to his horror.

“He was always hammering nails, driving screws and drilling holes.”

Mr Stevens said his son even replaced a broken cupboard door with a cubicle door.

“He dismantled the wooden shed in the back garden plank by plank and one day took the door off to replace the wardrobe door he had broken, thinking we wouldn't notice the difference,” Mr Stevens said .

Older brother Tom described Charlie as his “best friend, biggest rival and biggest fan.”

He said Charlie was an “entertaining little guy” who “knew how to push all my buttons.”

Mr Stevens said it was his son's friends who meant the most to Charlie and who had supported his family after his death.

“Charlie didn't care about schoolwork. “He just wanted to be with his friends,” he said.

'At school it was all about having fun. he was never sad, never complained. And never dumped on a partner.

'Charlie's friends were important to him and there isn't one we don't like or respect.

“It means a lot to us that Charlie's friends have spent so much time with us since we lost him.

“It warmed our hearts that that group of boys was just in our home.”

The memorial service was led by television presenter and family friend Tom Rehn from Adelaide. who Charlie described as a 'dedicated, hard-working' friend.

Mr Rehn shared stories of the murdered teenager's final years in Adelaide, including his memories of the time Charlie spent with his stepson Xavier.

'Charlie was brutal. “Most of you know that all too well,” he said.

“How many times did he and his little cohort get together in our backyard, listening to music, swimming in the pool, talking nonsense and wrestling.

'One time the wrestling had gone a little too far and unfortunately they had gone through the wall and left a hole.

'(He said), “I'll fix it.” And true to his word. That same week he returned with a colleague to fix things.

“That incident taught me what I think we all knew: he was responsible, responsible. Even at his very young age.”

Charlie's coffin was placed on a stage in front of the mourners and was covered with blue and white flowers.

Charlie was struck and killed in an alleged accident at Goolwa Beach on November 17 and died the following day. This made him the 101st person to die on South Australian roads this year.

The Stevens family asked the public to donate to Operation Flinders in lieu of flowers and also asked others to consider organ donation.

'Thank you to everyone who has contacted us in one way or another. If we have not yet responded, we will try to do so as best we can and when we can,” they said in a statement.

'Now is the time for us to regroup as a family and focus on how we move forward without our special Charlie.

'Thank you again to everyone for all your kind support and love.'

South Australian Prime Minister Peter Malinauskas announced on Thursday that the government will donate $100,000 to Operation Flinders in honor of Charlie, after his parents asked the public to support the charity in memory of their son.

Operation Flinders runs eight-day programs in the Northern Flinders Ranges for 13 to 18 year olds, with young people walking up to 100km, experiencing indigenous culture, learning abseiling and bushcraft.

In a heartbreaking open letter following Charlie's death, Mr Stevens and his wife Emma paid tribute to their son, addressing him as '101' and celebrating his life, as they showed that behind every toll statistic lies a full life and a human being many people love it. others.

The teenage driver accused of killing Charlie and leaving him on the road has been identified as 18-year-old Dhirren Randhawa.

Randhawa, 18, an apprentice hairdresser from Encounter Bay, reportedly did not stop at the scene but was stopped by police a short distance away on Port Elliot Rd.

He was arrested and charged with causing harm by dangerous driving, aggravated driving without due care, leaving the scene of a serious accident and failing to actually answer questions.

Randhawa was released on Monday after being charged over the alleged death of Charlie Stevens in Goolwa, south of Adelaide.

But under his parole, Randhawa cannot contact four eyewitnesses in the case, including his high school sweetheart, Montana Rose Bowd, 18.