A crash that nearly ended their lives.
Numerous surgeries, procedures and ongoing physical pain.
Two lost babies.
The death of a beloved grandmother.
It would be enough to crush many of us, but a young Wellington woman says she still feels blessed and has high hopes for the new year despite 24 months of relentless pain and grief.
New Zealanders first heard about Kendra Smith and Corey Thompson when they were involved in a horror crash just south of Levin in January 2021.
Smith was five months pregnant with the couple’s first child together.
The baby boy died three days later when Smith underwent emergency life-saving surgery.
Since the crash, both Smith and Thompson - who lost a leg - have undergone numerous surgeries and in April this year announced they were expecting another child.
Tragically, they lost that baby as well just after Smith’s grandmother passed away.
Smith said while the couple had been down this year, they definitely were not out.
“What a journey,” she told the Herald.
“We unfortunately lost the baby in May when I lost my nana Milo Seuili - the heartbreak and stress along with an already healing body, the baby didn’t make it.
“This baby will be laid to rest with their brother in January 2023… we have now set a date and look forward to finally laying him to rest.”
Smith and Thompson got engaged in their shared hospital room days after the crash and had hoped to marry early next year.
However, Smith needs further surgeries in 2023 so the celebration has been delayed.
“We finally had an engagement party to celebrate the soon-to-be joining of our blended family,” Smith said.
“There was family, friends and our children all joined together in our home celebrating our love.
“As a family - the support is still as strong and loving as ever.”
The blended family is made up of Thompson’s three daughters Laylah, 9, Harmony, 7, and Dizzelle, 6, Smith’s son Caasi, 6, and the couple’s teenage nephew Ezra, 16.
Amid the sadness and difficulties, the family has kept Smith and Thompson buoyed and busy.
“On the agenda has been full-time parenting,” Smith said.
She helped her nephew Ezra pass NCEA Level 1 and guided her little boy Caasi through his first year of school.
Thompson’s daughter Laylah then came to live with them full-time and to say they were excited about that is an understatement.
“Corey is very excited to enjoy these moments since he knows he nearly didn’t have the chance.”
Smith has also thrown herself into a new job, working at a local college part-time as a youth mentor and teacher aide.
And she has managed time for study, embarking on an education qualification with the aim of helping youth pass NCEA.
“In between this I had my tenth surgery on my tibia which was a bone graft,” she said.
“It’s still undetermined if there are more surgeries. Prior to this I was able to walk with one crutch and am now strengthening it to get back there and be without any.”
Smith said it was a “humbling” process.
Formerly a keen sportswoman, she has had to hang up her own trainers, but has found the forced rest has given her more time to watch her children “thrive” in multiple fields.
“However, I have been swimming for the first time since the accident and found enjoyment and therapy in the water,” she said.
Thompson’s health is also on an upward trajectory.
He lost his leg but surgeons managed to save his badly damaged arm.
It has been a long journey - with phantom pains and “unbearable” pain - but he is finally much more mobile and has a prosthetic leg.
“Corey has tested out a few new legs and was even the first in New Zealand to have the power knee which was amazing thanks to Connor at the Artificial Limb Centre,” said Smith.
“With a continual shrinking stump it has been hard to find the right fit but the staff there are so incredible through this stressful process with Corey.
“Corey is now starting the transition to assessments to go back to work after his last surgery in September where he finally said goodbye to his orthopaedic surgeon Justin Chou after a long nearly two-year relationship.”
Kids. Work. Family. Emotional and physical challenges.
You’d think that was enough on the couple’s plate.
But they have also managed to give back too.
“Prior to the accident I was huge on helping charities so we found a way to help from the comfort of our home,” Smith said.
“We volunteered for Blind Low Vision New Zealand by doing a book-athon where Caasi raised $254 by constantly reading books and gaining sponsors.”
So what’s next for the couple?
“We look forward to everything finally beginning to settle... well as much as it can as it is still a long road ahead,” said Smith.
“We are hoping to be setting a definite wedding date and then even possibly having another baby in the near future.
“We know we are blessed with another chance at life and have chosen not to waste it.
“There are so many good times and so many times where we remind ourselves that we have been through a lot so it is okay when we are not okay and in those moments, we have people we call on or things we do to get us through.
“In 2022 it has been the foundation of our life together with making our home a home properly with family, furniture and even a puppy called Cruize.
“We look forward to life and appreciate every day and treasure our moments with our children because we almost didn’t get to make these memories.”
Source of the "really unpleasant" noise has been identified, but a fix is some time away.