Collins’ parents thank supporters
Jerry Collins’ parents are ‘‘very, very overwhelmed’’ by the global outpouring of love and support they have received after the death of their son and his wife.
A close family friend, Litea Ah Hoi, said Collins’ parents were not ready to talk publicly about their former All Black son’s death in a car crash on Friday in southern France, along with his Canadian wife, Alana Madill. The couple’s three-month-old baby, Ayla Ruth Collins, was critically injured.
‘‘Words can’t describe how Frank and his wife are at the moment, but they are absolutely devastated about the loss of their son.
‘‘Also, it is absolutely devastating to be so far away from a grandchild who is so unwell. On one hand, you’ve got a son who has passed away and you’re trying to deal with that and the whole process of repatriation, waiting to get Jerry back, and you’ve got a grandchild who is critically ill.
‘‘Everybody is pretty numb. It’s hard to comprehend what has happened. It’s a parent’s and a grandparent’s worst nightmare.’’
However, they wanted her to express their gratitude on their behalf for their outpouring of support, which was helping to comfort them in their grief, she said.
‘‘The love that is being poured out, not just from the community and city of Porirua, but nationally, and the love from Samoa, and the rugby community internationally, they are very comforted by it.’’
She said Collins’ Porirua-based parents had been unaware how far their son’s global networks spanned. ‘‘They are very, very overwhelmed by the global attention they have received.’’
They were being regularly up- dated about Ayla’s condition, but wanted to keep details of her injuries private. ‘‘They are leaving their faith in the doctors and in their faith in God to get Ayla through.
A Jerry Collins Memorial Fund set up by Auckland charity Aera Foundation on the givealittle website had already raised more than $21,000 by midday on Friday to go into a trust for Ayla’s future.
Samoan-born Collins, 34, moved to New Zealand as a child and grew up in Porirua.
Collins’ agent, Tim Castle, told Radio New Zealand yesterday that Ayla’s condition remained critical and ‘‘very uncertain’’.
Madill’s sister, Brenna, had arrived in Montpellier to be at Ayla’s side in intensive care, and her parents, Darrell and Ruth Madill, were en route to France.
Chris Masoe and Neemia Tialata, both of whom also played for the Hurricanes and All Blacks, and also lived in France to play rugby, formally identified Collins’ body and had been the Collins family representatives in France.
Castle said repatriation of Collins’ body back to New Zealand was under way, but it was unclear when that would occur.