Bay of Plenty Times
  • Bay of Plenty Times home
  • Latest news
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
  • Sport
  • Video
  • Death notices
  • Classifieds

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • On The Up
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Residential property listings
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
  • Sport

Locations

  • Coromandel & Hauraki
  • Katikati
  • Tauranga
  • Mount Maunganui
  • Pāpāmoa
  • Te Puke
  • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua

Media

  • Video
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-Editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

Weather

  • Thames
  • Tauranga
  • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Bay of Plenty Times

Editorial: Lomu truly loved

Kelly Makiha
By Kelly Makiha
Multimedia Journalist·Rotorua Daily Post·
22 Nov, 2015 07:41 PM2 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

The death of Jonah Lomu has been mourned around the world.

The death of Jonah Lomu has been mourned around the world.

When someone dies, one of the hardest parts of the grieving process is knowing you never told the person how much they meant to you.

That's not the case with Jonah Lomu.

The country, and in fact the world, has spent the past 10 years expressing their love for the rugby player and the man.

It's not a love that's misplaced.

Lomu was truly one in a million and if there's any comfort in his sudden death, it is he knew what a national treasure he was.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Each time he stepped out in public, he would be followed by a trail of fans wanting his photograph and autograph.

It's great to know now he has been recognised over the years, in particular with being appointed a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2007 and being the subject of a This Is Your Life television special in 2009.

His family has opted not to have a state funeral. Instead, today a public service will be held followed by a private Mormon church funeral.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

I was a massive fan, like many. Not because I'm particularly big on rugby or saw him as a pin-up boy. There was just something about him I loved. I'd read all the women's magazines if he were on the cover and would watch intently whenever he appeared on television.

Three years ago I was lucky enough to go to Fiji on a work travel trip to the National 7s Tournament where Lomu was a guest. I met him on the first day and like a giggling schoolgirl got a photograph with him. He looked tired, and to be honest, not very well. But he politely obliged my request, before moving to the next person in the line behind me wanting the same thing.

During the following days, I kept bumping into him everywhere - and no, I wasn't stalking him. It became a standing joke. He'd walk into the hotel for breakfast and there I was. He'd enjoy a swim in the pool and who should pop up out of the water but me. At dinner, there I was again.

When news broke last week he had died, I couldn't help but shed a tear. Now the challenge is how do we remember him for years to come?

Discover more

Editorial: Tragedy reaction divided

17 Nov 08:00 PM
Save

    Share this article

Latest from Bay of Plenty Times

Bay of Plenty Times

'Do it now, run him over'. Teen who ran over mother's partner twice can finally be named

07 Jul 07:00 AM
Bay of Plenty Times

Hunter who feeds the hungry named Volunteer of the Year

07 Jul 06:56 AM
Bay of Plenty Times

Downhill mountain bikers impress on world stage

07 Jul 06:38 AM

From early mornings to easy living

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Bay of Plenty Times

'Do it now, run him over'. Teen who ran over mother's partner twice can finally be named

'Do it now, run him over'. Teen who ran over mother's partner twice can finally be named

07 Jul 07:00 AM

Rereamanu Ronaki-Wihapi's mother was drunk, and initially egged him on.

Hunter who feeds the hungry named Volunteer of the Year

Hunter who feeds the hungry named Volunteer of the Year

07 Jul 06:56 AM
Downhill mountain bikers impress on world stage

Downhill mountain bikers impress on world stage

07 Jul 06:38 AM
Māori fighter stars in Netflix boxing event

Māori fighter stars in Netflix boxing event

07 Jul 01:24 AM
Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky
sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • Bay of Plenty Times e-edition
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to the Bay of Plenty Times
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP