Christchurch's hero helicopter pilot, the late Steve Askin, was also a champion for unity between Maori and Pakeha when just a 10-year-old boy.
The 39-year-old died this week when his helicopter crashed as he fought the Port Hills fires.
However, a 1990 video produced for the 150th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi has resurfaced, and stars a then bleach blonde Askin alongside Wayne Tuapawa.
![Askin died fighting the Port Hills fires. Photo / via Facebook](https://www.nzherald.co.nz/resizer/v2/QNWG555YGS6FORWDSGQP25WM6E.jpg?auth=affa0ab0ce7c1af164273b3da18ca2563f06e074f878a07c08b6f3b2d123eee5&width=16&height=12&quality=70&smart=true)
The video, designed to show New Zealand in unity, shows the two boys embracing each other, laughing, playing and building a camp fire along a beach.