Tragic news for friends: ‘That so sucks’
It was raining the day Tasha embarked with her best friend, Portia McPhail, and other Elim Christian College pupils for an adventure she was not exactly keen on, having had her share of thrills and spills.
Her father, Andy Bray, asked how she felt to be going canyoning in such weather on Tuesday. She said her good friend, Portia, who was in the group and died also, had said, `Weve got this little saying `Well jump in puddles, Dad.
Bray said the phrase meant the girls would make the best of anything. Thats what my daughter and Portia are like. Thats what all the parents are trying to do now, were going to try to jump in puddles.
As he sat in front of a wall crammed with letters, cards and flowers, many to Tasha, he spoke words no father should have to say. Im a dad who has lost his eldest daughter.
There were no tears as he spoke strongly and in the present tense about the eldest of three children, a leader blessed with a sense of excellence and with a lifetime before her.
This is a personal thing, I know this isnt a worldly way, but my daughter hadnt even kissed a guy, he said.
Elim is a Pentecostal school. They take their Christianity deeply.
Someone asked Bray if his belief was being tested. His reply was forthright, startling in a secular world. It absolutely does test my faith in God. This is another chink in the armour, and tests my belief.
We are saying to God, `Why has this happened, where does this fit into your plan? I dont have an answer to that, sorry, but I do have a place in my heart to go.
I am just so glad that I know how to handle these things and know where I can take my grief. My belief is that Natasha is in a much better place and were going to have to come to terms with not having her.
He said the students were all remarkable young people. They were selfless, giving their lives to make a difference. They loved God and wanted to be part of making this world better.
He said it was one of those freak moments when a lot of water poured down, one of those once in a million year kind of things. The instructors were blown away at how it happened.
We have lost some amazing difference-makers, some role models and my daughter was one of them.
She just gives her life to young kids. She was proud to be a leader involving herself at every opportunity to interact with little kids.
These were kids of excellence. These were kids of extraordinary character who set themselves aside to want to be involved in building up others who were struggling.
As pupils, staff, parents and wellwishers slowly came to terms with the tragedy throughout the day, principal Murray Burton spoke for them all.
Why us, why this, isnt it needless? My strong faith overcomes that anger, it hurts badly and for a long time to come, but my faith will sustain me, there is a bigger perspective in all this.
As school started some students had not heard the news.
One boy stood shocked and said what teenagers would say: That so sucks.
Another knew some of the dead but could not work it out. Faces and names, I cannot get it yet.
At assembly, Burton led the school in prayer as children clung to each other. A little later, they were told who had died. Those closest to them in age looked stunned.
Most of the children went to class, some to draw up cards and letters.
To Tasha, someone wrote: I love you.
To Portia: We miss your beautiful smile.
To teacher Tony McClean: You are my hero.
And to pupil Floyd Fernandes, a note that could have been for them all: See you in heaven.
ON THE SAME day that the six Elim College students and their teacher were swept to their deaths, a nearby rafting trip involving 35 Taranaki students was canned because of fears about rising water levels.
The 11 and 12-year-olds from New Plymouths Highlands Intermediate were camping at Lake Taupo Christian Camp at Turangi, close to the Hillary Outdoor Pursuits Centre used by Elim Christian College.
The Highlands children were all set for an exciting rafting trip along the Tongariro River, but worried river guides pulled the pin, deputy principal Kathryn Hooper said.
More than 100mm of rain fell over 24 hours in the lead-up to the tragedy, 32mm of which fell between 12pm and 2pm on Tuesday.
A spokesperson for Tongariro River Rafting, the company responsible for Highlands Intermediate, said they called off activities when the river flooded.
Hooper said when the initial news came out about the disaster, panicked parents had rung the school to check their children were safe.
Highlands Intermediate had been sending Year 8 students to the Turangi camp for a number of years and have enjoyed the area and its activities.
They are very successful camps, Hooper said.
Its just one of those freak accidents.–Fairfax
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Wednesday, April 16th, 2008 at 7:52 pm under