Split-second move saves kids, sister

The mother-of-two killed in a crash near Awakino made a “split-second” move that saved her two young children and her younger sister.

Darrelee Tuhoro, 27, was killed as she travelled from Hamilton to her parents’ home in New Plymouth.

She was 40 minutes away when the crash happened on State Highway 3 at Mahoenui on February 20.

Her sister-in-law Ngahuia Sweeney has set-up a Givealittle page to support Tuhoro’s partner and their kids.

On the page, Sweeney said Tuhoro’s baby sister Ambah and her two children Zealan, 2, and Ngahuia, 7 months, were still alive because of their mother’s heroic actions.

“Because of a split-second manoeuvre made by Daz in her last moments, we are grateful that we did not lose four precious souls.”

The family would never fully recover from this loss, the page said.

Tuhoro was a passionate achiever and had received sporting accolades in her younger years before studying at South Seas Film & Television School in Auckland. She was about to start a diploma in te reo Ma¯ori.

She was also a fantastic mother to her children and had “worked hard at providing the best for her babies”.

Tuhoro’s partner Ben had now become a “stay-at-home dad” and his sister was trying to raise money to help her brother and his children.

Last week 47-year-old Johnathan Daniel Coombe, of Waharoa, appeared in court on a charge of careless driving causing death. He also faced two charges of careless driving causing injury to Zealan Sweeney and Ambah Tuhoro. He was remanded on bail and is to reappear on March 14.