Boiler death 'just my husband's time'

Richard and Kathy Nel at Orewa Beach. Photo / Supplied

Teacher Kathy Nel has spoken publicly for the first time about losing the love of her life, Rick Nel, 59, who died in the Orewa boiler explosion.

She blames no one for the explosion and will be "satisfied" with any sentence handed out this week in court.

She says they came from Zimbabwe, where things like "accidents" and "scary situations" are common. So she believes the explosion was just her "husband's time".

"These things are just accidents that have no necessary reason or culpability behind them."

She was able to hold her husband's hand while he slipped away in hospital a day after the tragedy. Having suffered over 80 per cent burns to his body, doctors had been honest about what to expect.

The college's principal and board chairman have apologised and both "broke down" over his death. On the year anniversary, the school held a ceremony and planted a safari sunset leucadendron tree in his memory.

Nel held it together for the sake of her two grown children - and Rick's other daughter from his first marriage - when she heard the harrowing news from principal Kate Shevland. But "it hit me when we went back to Zimbabwe in January", a trip to scatter Rick's ashes.

She mourns "the little things" she and Rick did together, and he has missed seeing their son Gareth, 24, going to university and his daughter Ashleigh's engagement.