Girls’ mother fights for life
Sole survivor unaware two daughters and partner among seven killed in smash
The sole survivor of the horror Waverley crash was last night fighting for her life — unaware she has lost those closest to her — while the small Taranaki town mourned four beloved locals.
Seven people were killed in the head-on smash on Wednesday including Ian Porteous, 80, his wife Rosalie, 76, his sister Ora Keene, 84, and friend Brenda Williams, 79, who were in the northbound car and died at the scene.
Jockeys at Waverley Race Club wore black arm bands yesterday as a mark of respect to the four locals and the bowling club was said to be mourning “a big hole”.
Meanwhile, Ani Nohinohi was last night in a critical condition in Wellington Hospital after the crash that killed her 28-year-old partner Jeremy Thompson, 8-year-old daughter Nivek Madams and newborn girl Shady Thompson. They were in the southbound car.
Nivek, who had her birthday on Tuesday, was blessed by a Waikato Hospital pastor before she died yesterday morning. The blessing was performed at the request of her father, Kevin, in prison for the murder of a Black Power president.
A family member said a phone was put to Nivek’s ear in her hospital bed so her father and other relatives could speak to her.
A Givealittle page set up to help the family with funeral expenses said Nivek and 8-week-old Shady were “close sisters and part of a caring wha¯nau, deeply loved by their friends and family.”
A granddaughter of Ian and Rosalie Porteous, Shay Starrenburg, said on behalf of her family that they “still can’t believe this has happened”. The couple had been married 54 years and were “extremely loving family people”.
“Rosalie was great with social media and used this to keep up with what all the family was doing. “She would always make beautiful handmade birthday cards for the family with her impressive Photoshop skills. Ian had an awesome, cheeky sense of humour and was extremely proud of all his grandchildren and was often found on the sideline at their sports events.
“We are so grateful that we were all together and able to celebrate a birthday only last weekend and were able to get a few photos which we will cherish.”
The couple had three sons, two of whom were travelling from Australia to be with family.
Waverley second-hand book seller Patrick McKenna said it was incredibly sad. “This is going to hurt the town for a wee while I am sure.”
The group had attended weekly meetings for retired people and had been incredibly welcoming when McKenna first arrived in town, he said. Williams loved her garden and was very generous, giving away cuttings.
“She had a very wild English garden — it wasn’t totally organised, but it was a bit like her, it was great.”
Ian Porteous was a “hard case”, known to many as “Mr P”, he said.
The group were associated with the Waverley Bowling Club.
Denis Smith attended bowls with them and said they would be terribly missed: “We’re all in shock . . . The club’s only a very small club and that’s a big hole in it.”