Help Bring Akuhata Home

With full hearts, we share that we welcomed our beloved Akuhata back into New Zealand on the 6th of September. Seeing him return to his whānau was both overwhelming and comforting. After a short stay in Auckland, Aku was lovingly brought home to Mahia on the 8th of September, to his whānau marae, Tuahuru. On Monday, the 9th of September, we gathered under a warm, shining sun, with the sea glistening peacefully beside us, to say our final goodbyes to a beautiful soul. The setting was as calm and gentle as Aku himself, creating a perfect farewell for such a cherished young man.

Words cannot express the depth of our gratitude. Every donation, message, and act of kindness has meant the world to us. It is because of your generosity that we were able to bring Aku home and honour him in the way he deserved. We will forever carry his smile, his laughter, and his spirit with us, and though our hearts ache with his absence, we find peace knowing we were all able to be with him one last time.

Ehara taku toa i te toa takitahi, engari he toa takitini

My strength is not as an individual, but as a collective