Six years ago Taimania Martin-Heke's family were measuring her life in hours, or at best days. The then 14-year-old Kaitaia College student suffered severe head and multiple other injuries when she was struck by a bus outside the college on October 31, 2011.
Her injuries might well have proved fatal, but she fought so hard for life that her family gave her the name Soldier. And now, six years later, she is well on the way to achieving her goals.
Taimania took another major step towards that when she graduated from the NZ School of Tourism with the Club Med specialist knowledge certificate, the Product Knowledge Unit (Contiki Holidays), the Blue Lagoon Cruises module and assessment, the New Zealand Certificate in Tourism (with strands in Travel and Aviation Level 3), and the New Zealand Certificate in Tourism Level 4.
Her family were at the Distinction Hotel in Rotorua to see her graduate, wearing Te Whanau Aroha korowai made by her great-grandmother Mary Campbell, lent to her by her grandmother Charlotte Courtenay for the occasion.
She was led on to the stage by her 2-year-old nephew Te Akaurangi, her proud parents Melz and Marlon Leef responding with a hautautoko.
