'She was kind, loving and caring': Son's bid to honour mum killed in Christchurch quake

Jayme was only 23 months old when his mother Natasha died at Wick's Fish store during the February 22, 2011, earthquake. Photo / Supplied

The date was February 22, 2011, and 23-month-old Jayme Hadfield had been dropped off by his mother Natasha at kindergarten, just like any other day.

Except it wasn't - it was Tuesday, February 22, 2011, the day of the 6.3 magnitude earthquake which shattered so many lives.

Jayme's mother was at work at Wick's Fish store on Stanmore Rd, which she owned with her husband Geoff.

Now 13, Jayme Hadfield approached the Waikura Linwood-Central-Heathcote Community Board about the plaque to honour his mother's memory. Photo / Supplied

When the quake struck at 12.51pm, she and regular customer Betty Dickson would not survive its devastating force, a large brick wall collapsing on both of them.

When Geoff got to the store, he found both women - and no sign of life.

Now 13 and living in Australia, Jayme is making a bid to get a plaque placed near the site - which has not yet been rebuilt upon - to remember his mother and Betty.

After the quakes, the Hadfield family put a memorial sign at the site with photos of Natasha and the words: "We miss you Mummy."

The Wick's Fish shop on February 26, 2011. Photo / Star News

In 2015, Geoff suggested putting a permanent memorial in after selling the site to a property developer. But the land remains empty and is overgrown.

So, when Christchurch City Council started to progress its plan to upgrade the entire Linwood Village area in February this year, Jayme decided it was time to act.

"Around June and July this year, I wanted to put something down for mum and the lady that she died with," he told The Star from Australia.

City council staff had also recommended two other options - a memorial park bench and a tree.

However, he said not many people visit the location where those options were proposed to be situated.

Jayme then approached the Waikura Linwood-Central-Heathcote Community Board and submitted a request for the plaque.

It is now included in the detailed design for the upgrade, which is due to be completed in February next year.

Jayme and his father moved to Australia after the quakes.

"I guess it was because of so many bad memories, and he just wanted to get away from her death and everything," Jayme said.

Up until the devastating quakes, his parents had been together for 18 years. He said he only learned about what happened when he got older.

The empty site on Stanmore Rd. Photo / Supplied

"On her birthday or February 22, I would ask about that every now and again. But not every time."

For a long time, he thought his mother was on a "big holiday".

Almost everything Jayme knew about his mother was from his father and grandparents.

"Dad told me a lot of things about mum. She was a very kind, loving and caring person. And she loved the All Blacks."

However, he can recall vague memories of his mother laying out a blanket on the floor to play with him.

"I do miss her. Every now and again I would think of her," he said.

Every February 22, and sometimes on Mother's Day, Jayme and his father will spend time thinking about her.

He is attending Downlands College in Toowoomba, southern Queensland, while his father and stepmother live in Brisbane.

With his stepmother, stepsister and stepbrother all in the Australian Defence Force, Jayme wants to follow in their footsteps and join the Navy or Air Force once he gets his Australian citizenship.

-starnews.co.nz