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Five siblings of the students killed in the tragic central North Island canyoning accident have written a book about their experiences to help cope with the loss of loved ones.
Six students and their teacher, from Auckland's Elim Christian College died when they were hit by a torrent of water while canyoning at the Sir Edmund Hillary Outdoor Pursuits Centre at Mangatepopo, near Turangi on April 15.
The book, Never Be The Same, tells of how the five, who are at Elim, felt after their brothers and sisters died and details some of their emotional struggles, the Weekend Herald reported.
Ben Bray, 12, whose sister Natasha was one of those who died in the accident, told the paper the ending was important.
"It gives hope for other people reading the book - saying (to readers) if they can get through it, we can too."
Lauren Mulder, who lost her brother Anthony, said the group discovered there were few books to help cope with the loss of a brother or sister.
She said they were given material about losing a parent but it did not quite fit their situation.
"We can use our own experience to help other people," said the 15-year-old.
Two versions of the book will be published, one about losing a sister and the other about losing a brother.
The words for both came from group counselling the siblings went through together.
Each of the five - including Hannah McClean, 15, Jacob McPhail, 9, and Olivia Bray, 14 - also helped to illustrate it.
Murray Burton, principal of the school in Howick, the final version of the book was with the printers and it was hoped it would be published and officially launched by the end of the year.
The Department of Labour announced this week it was prosecuting the pursuits centre over the accident.
- NZPA
