Former Maitland Grossmann High School student Matthew Howard said Mr Manley was a funny person who had a ­passion for dancing and loved Michael Jackson.

“He would sometimes just do the moonwalk at random,” he said. “He was funny and creative and could always get a good laugh.

“Whenever his closest mates were down, he was always helping out.”

Mr Howard said he had not seen his friend since he moved to Dubbo for work two years ago.

He met Mr Manley when the pair were in year 9 and gradually built a friendship that lasted the rest of high school.

During free classes, the boys would walk to the nearby service station to buy a meat pie and a drink and have a chat.

“It hit me pretty hard when I heard. I’m still kicking myself that I hadn’t seen him for so long,” Mr Howard said.

Mr Manley was one of seven friends who helped Mr Howard celebrate his 18th ­birthday and looked after the birthday boy when he partied too hard.

“He came over with the other boys and had a few drinks and I’m pretty sure later in the night he ate a glow stick,” he said.

“He was always happy and chirpy and he could make the stupidest things seem funny.”

A funeral service for Mr Manley will be held at the Real Life Church in Maitland today at 10.30am.

The 21-year-old died near Belmore Road in November, while walking to his home in Bolwarra Heights.

Mr Manley had been missing for two months before his body was found during a police search last week. 

The cause of his death is still unknown.

Watch Pip 'burn up the dancefloor' here