Kelly Makiha: Charles Sturt truly loved Rotorua

Charles Sturt was a battler for Rotorua. Photo / File

COMMENT:

"So who are these pigs who dumped this in Oturoa Rd?"

It was a classic Charles Sturt statement in an outraged tone that popped up on Facebook just three weeks ago on January 29.

Nothing got on his goat more than idiots who didn't dispose of their rubbish properly.

As a district councillor for a massive 33 years, he took it personally whenever someone dumped rubbish on the side of the road or in reserves.

And whenever it happened, he was on the warpath.

I shouldn't have been surprised to see that post but I was.

For a brief moment, I thought Charles would have had other things on his mind.

But who was I kidding? Despite grappling with the knowledge his last days were near, he still wanted to passionately stick the boot into the fools who were defacing Rotorua.

Earlier that day Charles sent me a text message saying "the inevitable is on the horizon".

He wanted to see me as soon as possible, not just because we enjoyed a good chat, but he wanted me to write an update on his illness.

We had done a couple of other stories before (when he revealed his cancer diagnosis in 2018 and when he stood down from the council last year) but he was never one to seek or wallow in publicity.

Nevertheless, keeping the public reliably in the loop was important to him.

January 29 was his last interview with the Rotorua Daily Post.

On that day he wept when he said the cancer drug wasn't working anymore.

It would cost up to $80,000 a year to fund another drug that would prolong his life.

But no one could really say how long that would be and, as far as Charles was concerned, it was a waste of money when others, especially children with cancer, could benefit from the money instead.

He wanted the public to know this, just on the off chance someone felt inspired to flick some cash the way of the Child Cancer Foundation.

There was classic Charles, again.

Charles, you died on your 64th birthday yesterday.

You told me you couldn't wait for your birthday because it meant your "champion" wife Denise and all your children and grandchildren would be together celebrating.

You had hoped to make it to 65 because after working hard all your life you wanted nothing more than to receive a superannuation payment and to use a Gold Card.

But it wasn't to be.

We will miss your passion for what's right and wrong, the way you'd shoot from the hip and get wound up at stupidity and, let's face it, we will miss your poorly spelt bursts of outrage on Facebook.

Charles, you loved Rotorua and Rotorua loved you.

Rest in peace brave battler.