The Whakaari/White Island tragedy has brought Hayden Marshall-Inman's family closer together as they grieve over his loss.
It's now been six months since the volcano off the Bay of Plenty coast erupted, killed 21 people, on December 9 last year.
Hayden was known as a kind, loving man who always paid it forward, and now he is remembered as a hero and a guardian of Whakaari.
The tour guide's body is yet to be found.
Today, his brother Mark told TVNZ1's Breakfast the grief of losing his brother has brought the family closer.
On the ninth day of each month they go to the water's edge to remember him and the others who died in the disaster.
"Six months on we're doing okay. So, we're going to head out and go fishing and spend a bit of time on the ocean and just remember I guess," Mark said.
Seventeen people were killed in the eruption while two others are still missing.
"We remember him every day. We've got the monument of Whakaari on our back door and we see him every morning.
"It's been a journey but it's about resilience. It's wrapping yourself around a community that gives you support and remembering all the good times, you know, you remember the times when you joke and laugh and you're with your brother doing things he used to enjoy and just reminisce I guess.
"It's brought the family closer together in a lot of ways because now we talk together a lot more often. My sister's overseas so we just keep a better eye on her, so yeah, it's just one of those things.
"Grief, people handle it in different ways, but I think as a community it's certainly brought Whakatāne stronger together."
Mark said Whakaari/White Island is a source of joy and hope.
"It's a special place and, like I said earlier, it's now a monument of a memory of where my brother is and where 21 other people lost their lives.
"It's still a beautiful place and always will be, and I guess we're just lucky we can see it every day."
But they want to make it clear they haven’t given up.
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