Fabian Takerei-White “could have been the biggest star in the sky”.
But in the early hours of December 21, the 18-year-old’s light was extinguished in a single-vehicle crash on State Highway 33 just outside of Paengaroa.
He leaves behind his mother, father and five brothers and sisters.
Fabian’s uncle Jared Williams, 29, was present when police knocked on his sister’s door to notify her of Fabian’s death.
Williams wanted the world to remember his nephew as “kind-hearted” and “a bright star”.
“I just want them to know how much of a life he had,” Williams, fighting tears, told the Rotorua Daily Post.
“He was the kind of guy who would take the shirt off his own back to give to you. He just wanted love and to give love.”
Williams said Fabian always “thought of himself last” and was a determined young man.
“He would have done life his way no matter what.”
Fabian who had finished Year 13 at Rotorua Lakes High School in 2021, had been considering his professional options and was thinking of joining the army.
“He was an 18-year-old trying to figure all that out. But he really just wanted to support his whānau. Any money he earned he was going to give back.”
Williams said Fabian also had dreams of starting a rap career and using social media to promote his music.
Fabian, Te Arawa and Te Rarawa, already had more than 2000 followers on TikTok, a platform Williams said his nephew wanted to use to promote his culture and heritage.
“He just loved his culture. He was so proud to represent his culture. Nothing meant more to him than his family and his culture.”
Williams said Fabian’s “TikTok friends” now wanted to support Fabian’s family.
A Givealittle page is in the process of being set up to help cover the costs of Fabian’s tangi and support his grieving parents and family.
“It’s huge,” Williams said of Fabian’s friends’ actions.
“That really blew us away.”
Williams said he wanted to share Fabian’s story to support his sister through the loss of her son.
“I want to do everything in my power to make sure my sister can receive all the help she can possibly get,” Williams said.
“Fabian had a whole life ahead of him. He was a precious joy in many people’s lives.”
Fabian’s tangi will be held tomorrow from 10am at Rongomaipāpā Marae in Horohoro.
Rotorua Lakes High School principal Jon Ward said staff went to pay their respects on Saturday.
“He left Lakes in March this year and was always a happy student who lit up the room. While with his whanau, we shared a number of stories about his time at Lakes, his enjoyment of sports and food.
“He was an integral part of our Te Puawaitanga class for four years and always looked out for staff and students alike.
“He has passed far too soon and will be missed by all those who knew him.”
A police spokesperson said as of December 21 inquiries into the circumstances of the crash were ongoing.
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