Aisi Tanielu-Loua last night reflected on her son Ezekiel's simple "love of learning" as she tried to comprehend the 12-year-old schoolboy becoming the 23rd fatality on New Zealand roads this week.
A crash between a car and truck on the intersection of Russley and Yaldhurst Rds in Christchurch claimed the lives of Ezekiel Loua and his 35-year-old uncle, Fulumoa Daly, in the early hours of Friday.Three others were seriously injured in the crash, with one of Ezekiel's cousins, Zion, being flown from Christchurch to Auckland's Starship children's hospital last night.
Ezekiel had just moved from Christchurch to live permanently in Auckland in February this year, and was "really fitting in well" as a new Year 8 student at Otahuhu Intermediate.
"He loved the new school. He was just really intelligent and he had a love of learning. He loved fun facts," Aisi said.
"Oh, what wasn't Zeek like as a kid? He was a quirky, nerd, ha, who was into National Geographic and watching documentaries and just retaining all the information.