Before he died Tatu Parzefall took his mother Angela for her first and last ride on his Harley-Davidson.
He was always trying to get her on the back and on Monday morning, she finally agreed.
Just 30 minutes after the pair posed for a smiling photo in matching helmets, 22-year-old Tatu was killed.
He died in a motorcycle accident on Springvale Drive, Hawker, just around the corner from his family home.
Grief-stricken family and friends remembered Tatu as a loving young man who was always there to help.
"He had so many dreams," mother Angela said.
"He would always tell me, 'Mum. I'll look after you for the rest of your life'.
"He would always tell me how much he loved me. Now I'm sitting here asking why this happened."
Tatu was a big brother to sister Elfi and did everything he could to care for his family after the death of his father in recent years.
"Tatu was always so selfless," Elfi said.
"On Christmas he was more excited to see what other people had been given, rather than what he got himself.
"He took everyone under his wing."
Emma Drummond, Tatu's long-term girlfriend, said her partner gave off a warmth that was impossible to miss if you met him.
"He wanted you to know that you were loved," she said.
"We had spoken about getting married and having children. That was the plan.
"We were thinking about moving out together."
She added that Tatu had a great fondness for motorbikes, particularly his black Harley Davidson, and he had died "doing something he loved".
Tatu was schooled at Canberra Grammar and, a natural leader, was destined for great things as he grew older, his family said.
"He picked the best things in his Tongan heritage, and the best things in his European heritage, and he took them for himself," said mother Angela.
"He took nobody for granted. His grandfather loved that about him."
Tatu was a promising rugby player for the Easts Rugby Club and had been studying construction with his eyes set on becoming a property developer.
Easts Rugby Club president Greg Dennis said the loss would not sink in until his teammates showed up for training on Tuesday night.
"He brought a lot to the table at the club," Mr Dennis said.
"He was a bit of a gentle giant. He was the epitome of a family man, and he treated the club like his extended family.
"Even on the field he was never an aggressive guy. He just loved playing his footy.
"We are going to miss him."
Friends remembered Tatu as a "truly special person" with a bright future ahead of him.
"We lost a truly special person today," said one friend.
"I will miss you a lot. You were going to amount to something big, I could tell you were going to blossom.
"Get some bikes ready up there brother, we'll ride again some day."
Details for a service to commemorate Tatu will be confirmed soon, with the service to be held at Canberra Grammar.
Mother Angela said the family would then take him to Tonga where he would be buried with his father.