Wheeler had known the family for many years through the Pacific Sharks Rugby League Club. She was a coach and manager from the early to mid 1990s when Ginns and his brother Murray played.
Bruce and Nancy Ginns were heavily involved in the club, she said. "They're really lovely, caring people, especially when it came to their kids ... I know when people hear about [what Ginns did] the first thing they think is 'What about the parents?' but sorry, that's not the case."
The couple had a third son, Norm, who had Down syndrome and had lived with them all his life, Wheeler said.
"They were offered [a chance] to put him into care, but they said no."
She remembered Jamie as an ordinary, if talkative, boy.
Wheeler visited Ginns' parents after his death and was pleased to hear the family had a lot of community support.
"They're beautiful people, they're completely lost, they're devastated, but they've got a lot of support.
"That's really good of Tok," she said.
A former Balmoral Primary and Tokoroa High School classmate of Ginns, who wanted to be known only as Lawrence, described him as a popular "jokester" at school.
"He was a pretty good guy and was doing pretty good in school."
Former Tokoroa High principal Roger Sommerville also remembered Ginns but was reluctant to comment.
"I know that he wasn't a perfect student but I wouldn't want to say any more."
