"PEOPLE are here not because Garth died but because he lived.”

That line helped establish the mood at the public celebration of Garth Prowd's life last Friday.

At least 250 people thronged Noosa Woods to laugh, cry and commiserate, as family members, friends and associates lined up to pay their respects to the memory of a man who, in brother-in-law Garth Madill's words, was "a man among men - and women”.

The driving force behind the Noosa Triathlon and today's Ironman concept, MrProwd died in Barcelona after a bicycle crash.

"Not too many families have two Garths,” Mr Madill quipped.

"Not even in Gympie,” he said of the family's town of origin.

Many present and pre-recorded sport stars contributed, including Olympic triathlete Emma Frodeno (nee Snowsill), who took to the stage to speak of Mr Prowd's willingness to "open his arms” to receive her and give advice.

"I always remember meeting for coffee at Aromas with Garth,” she said.

"He taught me so much about values, friendship and business.”

But it was Mr Madill who brought home the awfulness of the family's experience as he described Mr Prowd's final days in a local hospital.

"There was a lot of hope for the first week, Garth looked so good in hospital,” he said. "But it all fell apart on the Friday. That's when we found out he had broken his neck.

"On, I think, the Sunday, we had to make a decision on support he was getting.

"Matt (Mr Prowd's son-in-law) got a call from the hospital for them to 'get up there quickly'.

"We went into the ward but were instead ushered into an office and told Garth had actually died.”