To mark the milestone and to boost funds for anti-violence charity Shine, her buddy launched into a 27km run on Auckland’s North Shore.
For the final 6km Hannah Burrell was joined by Detective Inspector Scott Beard who led the investigation into Millane’s homicide.
“She was simply so pleasant, so welcoming, sort, bubbly, humorous – a stunning lady,” Burrell informed NewsHub.
Beard mentioned he had spoken to Millane’s household – who he retains in touch with – yesterday.
“Simply to acknowledge in the present day’s the day,” he defined.
“It’s only a unhappy, unhappy day for them.”
In December 2019 Grace was murdered by Jesse Kempson, a person she had met on a courting app quickly after she arrived in Auckland as a part of her solo journey around the globe.
Kempson took Grace’s life the weekend she would have turned 22.
After killing Millane, Kempson went about making an attempt to cowl up his crime and dumped her physique within the Waitākere Ranges.
When Kempson lastly went on trial he claimed that whereas he had killed Millane, it was not homicide.
Moderately, it was tough intercourse gone terribly improper – an accident.
The Crown maintained Kempson’s actions had been deliberate, chilly and callous.
A jury discovered him responsible and he was jailed for all times with a minimal time period of 17 years earlier than he’s eligible for parole.
It later emerged that Kempson had sexually assaulted two different girls and had been charged because of this.
In relation to these girls, he was convicted in two separate trials of great sexual offending.
Kempson’s identify was suppressed for all three trials and he might solely be named in December 2020 after he had exhausted all of his enchantment choices.
Right this moment Burrell, who met Millane at college within the UK however is at present dwelling in New Zealand on a piece secondment, ran 27km in her mate’s honour.
The run was partly to mark the birthday Millane ought to have been alive to rejoice but additionally to boost cash for Shine.
Beard joined Burrell for the final 6km of the run.
“I wish to present victims of home violence that they don’t seem to be alone,” mentioned Burrell earlier than the occasion.
“Please assist me make a constructive distinction to victims of home violence. Let’s assist them get secure, keep secure and work in direction of a violence-free life
“I wish to assist victims of home violence get secure, keep secure and heal. Please be a part of me to develop into a part of the answer.”
In October Millane’s mom, Gillian, spoke for the primary time – exterior the court docket course of – about her daughter.
Talking to The Extraordinary Atypical podcast, Gillian mentioned Millane was an incredible younger lady and her greatest buddy.
“From a really early age, she needed to journey and New Zealand was one of many locations she wrote about,” she mentioned.
In a double blow for the household, Grace’s father David Millane was recognized with most cancers after spending nearly three weeks in Auckland in December 2019 whereas attending the trial for his daughter’s killer.
He died in November 2020.
“He was taken unwell whereas we had been on the trial however we simply put it all the way down to stress and we thought he had an ulcer,” Gillian mentioned.
“I used to be in such a darkish, lonely place and I pushed all people away… Looking for your path on this highway of grief is a really troublesome factor to do.
“You get to a degree whenever you realise that you just’re the one one that may get you out of there.
“I can say that my toes are at all times within the darkness and generally my toes and waist however my head might be extra within the solar now.”
By Anna Leask