There are many days the Advocate team leaves the newsroom with a renewed sense of gratitude and appreciation for the strength of the community.
As each day unfolds in Northland, so too does the story that we tell you the following morning, and online. Some days we give you culture, fun and humour - days full of colour on pages. Sadly, there are days with shadows and more sorrow and tragedy than usual. This week, a dark cloud descended over the community at Pataua South after a 7-year-old boy died at the beach. It's believed he became buried by sand which he was playing in on Sunday. Beachgoers, family members and emergency services workers all tried to resuscitate him but he could not be saved. Messages of condolences and support have been pouring in for them through the Advocate's Facebook page.
Another tragedy had already hit Northland on Saturday when Kerikeri school teacher Bill Bayliss, 54, was killed while out for a bike ride in Kapiro Rd. Mr Bayliss, a popular teacher, family man and community volunteer, was taken by ambulance to Kerikeri Sports Complex but died before the Northland Electricity Rescue Helicopter could fly him to hospital, despite attempts to resuscitate him.
There is one thread that binds the news pages of the Advocate - that is courage. We witness first-hand the courage of emergency services - from St John volunteers to police and rescue teams. Without the courage of Northlanders we speak with everyday, we would have no way of telling you how incredibly resilient your community is. Stories of our people and community stay with us long after newspapers have been packed away. Some readers don't like sorrow on our pages. But sometimes, from those stories a light emerges - if only a light of solidarity for other families going through that same ordeal to help find their way.
