Editorial: Tragedy hits close to home

Police are carrying out investigations for both tragic accidents that happened in our region last week.

Our region was struck by two really tragic incidents involving vehicles last week. Firstly there was the death of Estelamare Paulo Dos Santos, a Brazilian art educator, dancer and choreographer based in Haumoana, last Monday after a crash on SH2, just south of Awatoto.

While riding her motorbike to work, Ms Santos swerved to avoid a car and collided with an oncoming vehicle.

Then last Thursday 2-year-old Clayton O'Brien died when he ran around the back of his parent's car and was run over, while visiting KFC on Thackeray St, Napier.

I can't even begin to imagine the sort of grief these families are going through.

Ms Santos lived a full and exciting life having travelled the world and learned four languages but that life was cut short far too early.

However, little Clayton's journey had only just begun. It is every parents' worst nightmare to have their children leave this world before them.

My heart goes out to these people - Nga mihi nui ki a koutou, ki a pourinui i tenei wa (I acknowledge you all, during this very sad time).

While these families have to deal with these tragic events, there are other victims who are having to deal with what has transpired, namely the drivers of the vehicles which struck Ms Santos and Clayton.

While we will have to wait for police investigations to be completed, at a layman's glance, it would appear, both incidents where accidents.

I'm sure these two drivers are struggling to come to terms with what has happened. Hopefully, they, like the Santos and O'Brien families, have loved ones helping them through the trauma.