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Aucklander Simon Anae ran from the tsunami on Wednesday and made it to the top of a hill.
But the stress was too much for his heart. The 56-year-old father of nine and grandfather of two was on medication after having a heart attack two weeks before, and died in Apia's Moto'otua Hospital later that day.
Speaking from their family home in Mt Wellington, his daughter, Everest, 21, said the death of her "really cheeky" dad was not yet real. "Probably when I see the body it will sink in," she said.
Everest and her siblings - Maa, 27; Simon jnr, 23; Emily, 21; Faaleaga, 19; Siliako, 17; Anna-Maree, 15; Paul, 11; and Lenleigh, 5 - were at home yesterday, supporting one another.
Their mother Halameli, 45, flew to Samoa on Thursday and was joined by Mr Anae's brother and sister from Auckland, and another brother from Australia.
When the Anaes awoke to news of the tsunami on Wednesday they had feared the worst. Their father had flown to Samoa on Tuesday, to attend to his duties as chief of Malaela - a village on the southern coast of Upolu in Aleipata.
Mrs Anae had been instantly worried about his weak heart. "Mum was panicking and she called the doctor to get a new packet [of medication] to take over there," said Everest.
At first, things had been looking okay. "My Aunty Lesina said she saw Dad go up the mountain. She said, 'Don't worry he's okay'," Everest said. But a nervous Mrs Anae had called a couple of hours later to be sure.
"All she [Lesina] said was, 'Tell your kids to be strong', and then the phone cut out," Everest said.
Her mum had panicked and called the aunty back. "She said he'd had a heart attack and we were thinking he just went to hospital, but then there was a final call after 5pm and my aunty said he was gone."
The children described their dad - who had worked for Aluminium Systems NZ in Mt Wellington - as a "dedicated family man" who loved "Island food". "But when he had the heart attack he had to stop eating it," Everest said. The family was trying to arrange for Mr Anae's body to be brought back to New Zealand this weekend, to have the funeral on Monday.
"Right now it's just a waiting game to see what's going to happen. We want to have him buried here," Everest said.
Mr Anae is also survived by grandchildren Natasha, 2 months, and Madison, 1.
How you can help
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
