Five Hastings children orphaned when parents Kerry and Christine Dalmon died in a car crash on Waitangi Day are starting a new life in Central Hawke's Bay with their grandparents.
Longtime Hatuma farming couple Neil and Mary Bayliss, Christine's parents, are becoming guardians of Jennifer, 16, Tracey, 14, Jon-Michael, seven, Penny, five, and Samuel, three.
Life changed forever for the children when their van was involved in a head-on collision with another car, south of Taupo.
All except Samuel were taken to Waikato Hospital with serious injuries and have since been discharged.
But Penny, who was critically injured at the time, still had a broken leg and was in a wheelchair, Mrs Bayliss said.
The children, who had been receiving a Christian-based education and were home-schooled, were now enrolled at schools in Waipukurau and would start next term.
Kindergarten arrangements had yet to be finalised for pre-schooler Samuel.
- HAWKE'S BAY TODAY
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