By VANESSA BIDOIS
NGARUAWAHIA - Jesse Rawiri, a popular Maori radio personality, has died at the age of 27 after a heart attack at his Sydney home.
Ngaruawahia-based Radio Tainui has been fielding hundreds of calls from distraught listeners after news of the death of the broadcaster - alias Blossom.
Mr Rawiri and co-presenter Pita Te Ngaru (Womble) were judged best breakfast hosts on provincial radio in 1998.
He left the Waikato iwi station a year ago to pursue a career in Australia.
A mountain of a man, Mr Rawiri was born with a hole in the heart but forged a career in the entertainment industry as a drummer, guitarist, keyboard player, comedian and singer.
He toured with various groups including the Maori Volcanics, of which his father, Selwyn, was an original member.
Station manager Barry Bartlett said yesterday that Mr Rawiri's death had been a huge shock to staff as well as the thousands of listeners who woke up to the Womble and Blossom show.
Mr Bartlett said that despite Mr Rawiri's size he was an energetic performer who even wore a tutu on stage.
"He was actually born with a hole in the heart and that's why Selwyn wrote the Blue Darling song to raise money for the Starship hospital. It's about hole-in-the-heart blue babies."
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