Tauranga teacher Logan Gemming, 37, and his wife Kylie-Maree, with their three sons, Fletcher, left, Fergus and Eaton. Photo / Supplied
The wife of a man tragically killed in a kitesurfing accident says her family's lives have been "changed forever".
Logan Gemming, a physical education and health teacher and a Year 11 dean at Tauranga Boys' College, died at Fergusson Park in Tauranga, yesterday.
The kite was caught by a gust of wind and crashed.
Emergency services provided medical attention, but Gemming died at the scene.
Gemming's wife Kylie-Maree posted a heartfelt message to Facebook this morning.
"It is with the heaviest of hearts that I write this post to inform you of the tragic death of my lovely husband Logan Gemming," she said.
"He died suddenly yesterday in a kiting accident. Our lives have changed forever. We are grateful for the support we have already received. Loges you will be missed. All our love, your three beautiful boys and their momma bear xxx," she said.
Gemming's loss would be felt widely in the community because he had "the most beautiful heart", long-time friend Wayne Gribble said.
He came from a "huge hockey" family with mum Gill recently made an Officer of the NZ Order of Merit in last year's Queen's Birthday Honours, Gribble said.
Gemming's dad John had also served as a long time Tauranga doctor, who often volunteered at local hockey matches.
Gemming himself had been a star player, who represented Tauranga and Bay of Plenty representative teams.
Gribble - a former teacher at Tauranga Boys' College - had known Gemming since he was a student at the school and member of its hockey team that was also coached by Gribble.
After graduating Gemming then returned to the school as a teacher where he also became a coach of the hockey team alongside Gribble, until the older man moved on to a new job.
"I've watched him grow into an absolutely stunning young man," Gribble said.
"He is an absolutely committed and loving husband and father to his wife and three boys."
"And both his wife Kylie-Maree and Logan are very passionate teachers."
Logan was a highly respected teacher not only by his colleagues but by the boys he taught and mentored as a dean.
"He is a teacher who has a genuine belief in young people and the place education has in their wellbeing," he said.
Gribble said it was hard for friends and family to come to grips with yesterday's tragedy because Gemming had been incredibly safety conscious and reliable.
"He's the sort of guy you would have had every trust and confidence in that every element of safety had been attended to," he said.
"He was very experienced at managing all sorts of water-based physical education activities at Tauranga Boys' College."
Gribble said Gemming's loss would leave a hole in the hearts of many.
"If I could sum Logan up, he was a man that had the most beautiful heart," he said.
"His loss is huge for his family - in particular for his wife Kylie-Maree and his three boys - but also this loss is going to be felt far wider in the community as well."
Tauranga Boys' College principal Robert Mangan said he and the school community were reeling from the news.
"It's a devastating tragedy, Logan was not only a fantastic teacher, a much-loved husband, dedicated father of his three young sons, he was the quintessential good bloke," he said.
Mangan said Gemming, 37, who was an old boy and prefect at the college, and the Year 11 Dean at the college this year, also coached the first XI hockey team at the school.
"Logan was a highly respected teacher and community leader who dedicated his life to teaching and helping young people to develop to their full potential, "he said.
"Logan was an outstanding, fine young man," he said.
His wife Kylie-Maree was also due to start teaching at the college next month, looking after the alternative education programme at the school, Mangan said.
"The school community is still in disbelief that this tragedy could happened. It's still hard to believe as Logan absolutely loved kitesurfing and he was very safety conscious."
Mangan said the tragedy was "very personal" as he had not only taught Logan at Tauranga Boys' College in 1998 but later employed him as one of his teachers in 2003.
He had also know Logan's parents, Dr John Gemming and Gillian Gemming, for about 30 years. Gillian has been director of hockey at the college for many years, Mangan said.
In a Facebook post, Canoe Slalom New Zealand also paid tribute.
"Our heartfelt sympathy goes out to the family and friends of Logan Gemming. A great guy and Teacher in Charge of kayaking, Tauranga Boys' College 2003-2005."
Colin French from Hockey NZ Umpiring in a Facebook post, wrote,"... Please join with me to send your condolences and prayers to the Gemming family."
When the Bay of Plenty Times visited the park yesterday, , someone had left a bucket of flowers and a card next to one of bollards, with a message which read, "Deepest sympathy and love to your family and loved ones."
Flowers had also been left near the Tilby Drive entrance sign to the park.
A woman, 25, has been charged with assault.