Kelsey Waghorn, a tour guide who survived last year's Whaakari/White Island eruption, has today posted a touching online tribute to her workmate and friend Hayden Marshall-Inman, who died in the disaster.
Mr Marshall-Inman would have turned 41 today.
He was guiding tourists on the island off the Bay of Plenty coast, when it erupted on December 9, 2019. His body was never found.
“Happy birthday, Funcle Haydz. You’re so sorely missed,” Ms Waghorn wrote on Instagram today.
“Haydz, I will expect to get a text from you to check in on how I’m doing - and then some cheek about getting back to work.
“I nearly text you every now and then, to see how the island is and whether I’m missing out on much marine life.
“I chose to believe that the lack of photos and snarky comments means the sea is quiet - or that you didn’t see them, like every day you were a skipper.”
In her Instagram post Ms Waghon recalled the time she called Mr Marshall-Inman at 5am one day because someone was trying to break in while she was home alone.
“You were at my house within about half an hour,” she wrote.
“There were those other times I had terrible news, too. You were there for me, to listen, and with your big bear hug.”
Twenty-one people died after the eruption and many more, including Ms Waghorn, were seriously injured.
Ms Waghorn suffered serious burns to 45 per cent of her body but is slowly recovering.
SHARE ME