APIA - The New Zealand volunteer firefighter killed while on his way to help at the tsunami disaster zone has been remembered in Apia before he is laid to rest in Auckland this week.
Levaopolo Peter Letiu, from Mangere in South Auckland, died last Tuesday when the fire truck he was a passenger in rolled.
A New Zealand citizen, he is the first firefighter in Samoa to have been killed in the line of duty.
The 33-year-old - who liked to travel between Samoa and New Zealand often - was among a group of firefighters travelling through villages to raise a tsunami alert.
They were headed to the district of Aleipata after hearing a massive tsunami had wiped out whole villages in the area, killing dozens of people.
At Sefo's Funeral Parlour in Apia yesterday, family and friends sat in the heat as they remembered their son, husband, father and friend.
Nele, Mr Letiu's wife of almost 10 years, said her husband was a devoted father to their young daughter, Mile, and was a talented man who had the "gift of the gab".
"When we had our own domestics, he just knew how to say something that would make me smile. He was a really awesome, awesome partner."
Friends told of a man who strove to live life to the full, trying his hand at many careers, all in his quest to help others.
Mr Letiu was a well-known and popular presenter for Auckland-based radio station Niu FM in recent years, as part of the Jandal Jam show.
He also worked at the Fetu FM radio station in Samoa for a few months, was a chef, photographer and in the past two months was training to become a firefighter.
"He was so talented," said Gloria Letiu. Looking over at her eldest brother's coffin, draped with the Samoan flag, she said: "We were so proud of you, Peter. You never stayed in one job ... but ... you just wanted to upskill."
Members of the Fire Department stood shoulder to shoulder as their colleague was taken out of the chapel.
Mr Letiu's body was flown last night to Auckland, where he will be buried this week.
How to donate to tsunami relief operations:
Pacific Cooperation Foundation
Deposits can be made at at any Westpac branch. All the money raised will go to the Samoan Government
Red Cross
- Make a secure online donation at redcross.org.nz
- Send cheques to the Samoan Red Cross Fund, PO Box 12140, Thorndon, Wellington 6144
- Call 0900 31 100 to make an automatic $20 donation
- Make a donation at any NZ Red Cross office
ANZ bank
Make a donation at any ANZ bank branch, or donate directly to the ANZ appeal account: 01 1839 0143546 00
Oxfam
- Make a secure online donation at Oxfam.org.nz
- Phone 0800 400 666 or make an automatic $20 donation by calling 0900 600 20
Caritas
- Make a secure online donation at Caritas.org.nz
- Phone 0800 22 10 22 or make an automatic $20 donation by calling 0900 4 11 11
TEAR fund
- Make a secure online donation at tearfund.co.nz
- Phone 0800 800 777 to specify Samoa the Philippines or Indonesia. You can also donate at CD and DVD stores.
Mercury Energy
- Donate at mercury.co.nz
or text the word Samoa followed by the amount you wish to pledge and your Mercury account number to 515 or by calling 0800 10 18 10.
Habitat for Humanity
Habitat for Humanity is asking for help with the clean-up habitat.org.nz
