The brain of a young footballer, whose life was tragically cut short after an on-field incident last month, will be donated to the Australian Sports Brain Bank for concussion research.
Today, family and friends gathered to celebrate the young athlete's life, with mourners encouraged to dress in pops of colour.
Speaking at the funeral today, Loiacono's mother Wendy Smith said she recalled speaking to "Tones" during his time in hospital, with the hope that he could still hear her.
"I recall saying to him, 'Your spirit is going to heaven, but we are going to make miracles'," she said.
"And in true form that is what Antonio did next."
Ms Smith said her son was the youngest amateur Australian Rules player to donate his brain to assist with further concussion research.
"[This] will give us valuable insights into the very early pathology of concussion and assist with effective treatments to help prevent future head trauma in Australian contact sports," Ms Smith said.
"I promise you from this day forward that our beautiful family will continue to make sure you fly high, sprinkling your magic in making sport safer and the world a better place."
Loiacono's organs were donated for transplant, something his father Sal said would allow his legacy to continue.
"Antonio is now living on in at least six other people," Mr Loiacono said.
"Whoever has his heart is a lucky person."
Loiacono's best friend, Casey Swanton, also paid tribute to the young footy player, saying his ability to hold a conversation made making friends look easy.
"Antonio had a smile from ear-to-ear and an aura around him that would light up the room," he said.
"And if you were one of the few people who didn't know him, he would soon come and introduce himself to you and chew your ear off."
The two had been friends for about a decade and Mr Swanton remembered Loiacono as a "warrior, a leader and a role model, for not only me, but all the boys who grew up with him and played football with him".
Loiacono had only joined the Birdwood Football Club this year, but had been playing the sport since the age of four.
At the age of five, he joined the Hope Valley Football Club where, according to his dad, he was able to "share in a hard-fought under-13s premiership", before moving on to another club.
Family and friends remember the young man as a "gatherer", a trait his dad said continues in this period of grief.
"Even in this tragedy, Antonio is bringing family and friends closer together. We have never been so close," Mr Loiacono said.
"In conclusion, Antonio was one of life's top blokes."
