HEARTBREAK
Young dad’s family tragedy
Farmer Bryan Edmonds farewelled his two young children and partner before going to work nine days ago — but he never made it home.
The 28-year-old was found dead in a paddock.
The father of two is believed to have died from a genetic heart problem, something which claimed three of his five siblings before they even turned 1.
Edmonds loved his job on Straight Farm, a dairy property in the small town of Whataroa on the West Coast.
He enjoyed being out on the farm with the cows, often taking his young sons Tipene, 11 months, and 23-month-old Rawiri with him.
His devastated partner Alana Tait, 25, said: “He hated bookwork. All he wanted to do was be out on the tractor or be out on the bike or be out with his cows.
“He was a natural farmer. It wasn’t a job to him, it was a lifestyle.”
The tragedy has left Edmonds’ sons wondering where their dad has gone.
“When Rawiri asks where Dad is, I just touch his chest and say, ‘He is in here.’ I don’t really know what else to tell him,” said Tait.
Friday a week ago was just a normal day. Edmonds returned home from work for a glass of water at about 10.30am before farewelling Rawiri with, “I’ll be back later” as he headed back out to the farm.
Edmonds was helping a cow get back on its feet when he suffered what his family believes was a heartrelated event. He was found lying in the paddock not long after 11.30am.
“It was just his ticker. It was all very sudden. There was no way he could have known it was coming,” said Tait.
Edmonds was diagnosed with a heart murmur when he was 12. If an autopsy confirms he died from a heart problem, he will be the fourth in his family to die of a heart-related issue, leaving behind two siblings Amy and Brendon.
Amy, 29, said her parents were not coping very well.
“When you have six babies and you only have two left, it’s going to be pretty rough.”
Amy said the family did not know what heart condition had claimed three of Edmonds’ siblings but she and Brendon planned on getting their hearts checked.
Tait said she would also take Rawiri and Tipene to have their hearts looked at.
Edmonds moved to the South Island from Hawke’s Bay a few years ago and met Tait, who fell in love with his big eyes.
“They were big and bright. You couldn’t forget those eyes,” she said.
Tait fell pregnant less than a year into their relationship.
“That put different motivation in him. He didn’t want to party anymore. He just wanted to work and further his career,” said Tait.
“He had a tough exterior but inside it was just moosh. He would do anything for anyone.”
Edmonds had big plans. He wanted to buy a farm, build a house and take his family on camping holidays in his modified 4WD. He loved four-wheel driving and was a member of a West Coast 4WD club called the Mud Hunters.
“We had so much planned. We wanted to get married one day,” said Tait. “He was so happy. He had a job that he loved, he had a family, he had good friends.”
The young mum is now coping with the loss of the family’s sole breadwinner.
“He always said, ‘You should never have to work’,” said Tait. “He didn’t want his kids being raised in a daycare or anything like that.”
Amy said her brother was a devoted father who would do anything for his kids.
Although Tait planned to study in a few months to help create a future for her kids, she said financial support would help ease the pressure as the family comes to terms with the tragedy.
Amy has set up a Givealittle page to help raise money for Tait, Rawiri and Tipene. More than 100 people had donated more than $7400.