Stephanie McHale pictured with her son Gareth. Photo / Supplied
Tributes have flowed for the "caring and giving" wife and new mother killed in a car crash on Wednesday.
Stephanie McHale, 29, died in a two-vehicle crash on State Highway 5 near Rotorua on Wednesday.
She leaves behind husband Ben, a doctor at Rotorua Hospital, and 6-week-old son Gareth, who was in the car at the time of the crash.
Her son was uninjured but taken to hospital for observation and discharged yesterday.
Police this morning released a photo of mother and son on behalf of the family.
Mrs McHale was a physiotherapist who was active in several local sporting clubs.
She was vice-president of the Rotorua Association of Triathletes and Multisport and outgoing president Nina Dobson said club members were still comprehending the loss.
"She was amazing, both as an athlete and on the committee. She was a very giving person. We will miss her spark, her energy and enthusiasm. Nothing was too hard for and she always went out of her way to help others," she said.
Miss Dobson said Mrs McHale helped nurture many people who were first entering multisports.
The club was supporting the family, she said.
"We are all pretty much in shock and disbelief," Miss Dobson said. "She was a friend of everyone's. Quite a few of us were at the baby shower not that long ago. The club will make ourselves available to support the family, all who are part of the club, throughout the coming months - whatever they need, we'll be there for them."
Mrs McHale was also a coach at the Orange Swim School. Head coach and owner Henk Greupink said he was "numb" when he heard the news.
"I would need a day to explain how great a person she was," Mr Greupink said.
"We started working together just over four years ago. I had a number of the triathletes at the time who decided they wanted swimming coaching from me. Steph became the liaison person to set that up.
"She was extremely loyal, very caring and giving. She had so much time for people and was very patient. Whatever she did, it was from the bottom of her heart. When I was first told the news, I was numb, I was stunned. I thought, 'Why Steph?'
"Just this week I said, 'Steph was going to be the most amazing mum, both her and Ben - they are the perfect schoolbook parents."
Lake City Athletics Club vice-president Pam Kenny said Mrs McHale had been involved with the club for more than a decade alongside her mother and two sisters.
"The news is more than a bit of a shock. She always had a pleasant, cheerful and obliging manner. Many sports and clubs she was involved with in Rotorua will miss her greatly."
Former Rotorua Girls' High School principal Annette Joyce said Mrs McHale - then Stephanie Pearson - was the school's head girl in 2003.
"She was selected by her peers and staff because she was an amazing sportswoman in athletics and cross-country," Mrs Joyce said.
"She was really caring, very committed and it all came from her attitude. She quite naturally took charge, virtually all groups she was in she was the leader or captain."
Mrs Joyce said it wasn't just sports she excelled in, reaching a top level in speech and drama.
"It's just disbelief really that she's gone. She was a young woman who has given so much and had so much in life still ahead of her. Stephanie's attitude always was get in and do it - make it happen.
"She was always there to help other people. Sometimes when people are very good at sports they can become immersed in what they do but she was never too busy for anyone."
In a statement, Dr McHale's employer, Lakes District Health Board, offered its sympathy to him and his family.
"There are many staff who have worked with Ben since he started at Lakes DHB late in 2010 as a house officer and they are understandably very upset. The Lakes DHB is arranging support for those staff who feel in need of it, in line with its approach to ensure that staff feel supported and cared for at what is a very sad time," it said.
A ute and trailer was also involved in the crash.
The driver, a 43-year-old man from Murupara, and his 44-year-old passenger from Auckland were yesterday in a stable condition in hospital.
A serious crash investigation is continuing.
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