Tyler Bates, aged 19 years (left) and his brother Jayden Bates, aged 16 years, at home in Canada. Photo / Supplied
Tyler Bates, aged 19 years (left) and his brother Jayden Bates, aged 16 years, at home in Canada. Photo / Supplied
A tattoo across Canadian Jayden Bates' chest now marks the birth date of his late brother, Tyler - whose heart beats on in the chest of the Kiwi citizen it was donated to.
The 19-year-old tourist, Tyler James Bates, was fatally injured after falling from a central Wellington building he was free-climbing in the early hours of March 25.
Rushing from their home in Parkland County, Canada, the Bates family made the agonising decision to turn off Tyler's life support at 3am, March 27, in Wellington Hospital - to preserve his organs to be retrieved for donation.
Tyler's 16-year-old brother Jayden spoke to the Herald on Sunday from Wellington Airport last week, as he and his parents were preparing to fly home with Tyler's body.
"We had to make the tough decision of taking Tyler off life support, just because his heart could stop working at any time and then we would have no longer been able to donate his organs," Jayden said.
"Everyone knew he wasn't there anymore, the doctor pronounced him brain dead and his body wasn't reacting in any way. So it was more about, we might as well let him go now, so we can save some other people's lives."
Tyler Bates, aged 19 years (right) and his brother Jayden Bates, aged 16 years, at home in Canada. Photo / Supplied
Five New Zealanders were gifted life from Tyler's organs.
Jayden said his brother wasn't officially an organ donor, but had frequently expressed the urge to his parents, Tanya and Darryl, to be signed up for it.
"Tyler always had conversations with us, letting us know next time he gets his licence he's going to put on there he wants to be an organ donor," he said.
"We knew he'd definitely want to keep on living his life through other people, and saving as many people's lives he can. It was a very special case, and it's nice we could donate his organs, that's one positive note about it."
Canadian Jayden Bates had a tribute tattoo of the date of birth of his late brother Tyler - who died in Wellington last week. Photo / Supplied
Tyler had been on a month-long road trip across the North Island with hometown friend, Ryan Huber, who was also climbing the Wellington CBD building off Gilmer Terrace when Tyler fell.
After Ryan had pitched the idea of travelling to New Zealand three months back, Tyler worked 16-hour days as a sheet metal worker and delivered pizzas at night to save for the trip.
Jayden says his brother wasn't necessarily into free-climbing - the pursuit of scaling cliffs or structures without a safety-rope - but rather was an "adrenaline junkie".
"I wouldn't say he was so much into it [free-climbing], or he's done it before," Jayden said.
Jayden Bates, 16, left, and his brother Tyler, 19. Photo / Supplied
"I think the idea must have popped into his head because you can see downtown Wellington has all these buildings close together. They kind of look fun to climb.
"He was always looking for the thrill of adventure. Actually a few days before his accident he went skydiving."
Jayden says Tyler regularly pushed him to try new extreme stunts and sports.
"This summer, he encouraged me and we did an 80ft [24m] drop off a cliff into Shuswap Lake in British Columbia," Jayden said.
"He was definitely more of the daredevil of the two of us, but he's the one who got me doing those things, living my life the way I should be."
Tyler Bates, aged 19 years (left) and his brother Jayden Bates, aged 16 years, at home in Canada. Photo / Supplied
A number of Jayden's aunts also traveled down to Wellington during the past week, and together they all got tribute tattoos of Tyler's date of birth "09-09-99".
Jayden said the family will hold a funeral for his brother in the city of Edmonton on Monday, and they expect a big turn-out given the immense community response to Tyler's death.
A Gofundme page raised over $52,000 to transport Tyler's body back to Canada.
"There's actually stickers going around the Edmonton area now saying TB14, so his initials and his hockey number, and they're on everyone's vehicles," Jayden said.
"He had so many friends because he was part of so many different communities, involved in so many people's lives."
