Hastings accident victims both family men

Both men who died on a Hawke's Bay road in rare circumstances were family men known for their caring and compassionate natures.

Whiti Pattison's reputation for compassion went before him, having cared for more than 100 foster children.

Neville Oppatt had returned to Hawke's Bay to care for his dying father -- and was preparing to become a father again himself in six months' time, The Dominion Post reported today.

In what police called an unusual and tragic twist of fate, both died within minutes of each other on the dark expressway between Napier and Hastings on Wednesday night.

Mr Pattison, 72, had finished his late shift as a boilermaker at Progressive Meats. He was driving his light truck home along State Highway 50A when his vehicle hit Mr Oppatt, 39, who was walking on the eastern side of the expressway.

Mr Pattison went to Mr Oppatt's aid but "decided he needed some help and went out into the traffic to flag down some other cars", Senior Sergeant Ross Smith said.

"He's been hit by a car and fallen into another lane and been hit by cars going the other way."

His son Gary Pattison said his father was a compassionate man.

"(Dad) touched heaps of people's lives. He and Mum ran the Flaxmere Family Home and cared for over 100 CYFS children. A fair few of them are coming from all over New Zealand for the funeral."

Mr Oppatt's father Raymond, who has a terminal lung disease, said his son had returned to Flaxmere two months ago to care for him. "He came home to look after me and tidy things up before I go."

Mr Oppatt is survived by one child and was to be a father again in about six months.

Mr Smith said there were no eyewitnesses to Mr Oppatt being struck but they had received several reports from drivers who had seen a man in dark clothing walking on the eastern side of the unlit highway before the accident.

Police had impounded the five vehicles involved and inquiries were continuing, Mr Smith said.

- NZPA