Journey

There wasn’t a little time …… there wasn’t any time at all.  Last Sunday evening I received a call from Nana Honnor.  Poppa was in the hospital.  Guy and I were to come straight away.  When we arrived Poppa was awake, reasonably lucid and strong.  He passed quietly in his sleep during the night with the three of us at his side.  Acute heart and kidney failure.  The last six days have passed in a blur.  Guy and I have rarely left mum’s side, working to plan Dad’s funeral and support her.  As Guy said “it has been a tough but rewarding week”.  We got to know dad better, relieve family memories and pull together a celebration of his life.  The funeral was yesterday and Te Henui chapel was full.  Poppa was devoted to the community of New Plymouth, surf life saving and his family.  He made his life count.  He set the bar high and gave everything 150%.  Dad/Poppa was a constant in our lives.  I can’t believe he is gone.  I don’t think I truly understood grief until now.  It comes in waves of deep sadness and a feeling of being adrift.  I know we are on a journey, currently taken one small step at a time.  We love you dad.  Thank you for everything.  We miss you.  You will live on in us  Xox

The week was made more challenging as Sean had Covid19 for the first time and has been quite unwell.  After four years of dodging the virus he is no longer a Novid.  Thankfully he was well enough to attend Poppa’s funeral to say goodbye.

Poppa would have been watching on with pride this morning when Rory received a Certificate of Recognition from Volunteering New Plymouth and New Plymouth District Council.   The annual Volunteer awards have a Youth section.  Rory was acknowledged for his hard work at The Junction recycling centre.  His cousin Corbyn received a Youth award in 2020 for his hard work at On the House.  Two of Poppa’s grandsons have been recognised for giving back to our local community .  It felt like an appropriate end to the week.