A video tribute to two friends who passed away, Hamish Rieger and Kereopa McDonald.
"Live life to the fullest and live life every single day" is the mantra inspiring a teen's video tribute to two of his friends who have died.
Tauaiti Kuka, 18, posted the video of himself and his friends enjoying a typical Bay summer - surfing, jetskiing, hanging out atMount Beach and partying on the last official day of summer.
Tauaiti Kuka's video records the summer adventures of his friends as a tribute to two friends lost. Photo/ Tauaiti Kuka
Dedicated simply to "Hamish and Kereopa", the short film is the last in a series called Three Summers in honour of Kuka's friends Hamish Rieger and Kereopa McDonald.
The videos record the adventures of the boys' friends each summer in memory of their two mates no longer with them.
Seventeen-year-old surf lifesaver Hamish Rieger died in January 2016 when a rogue wave snatched the teenager at the end of Moturiki (Leisure Island) and swept him out to sea.
Another friend, Matapihi rugby-loving teen Kereopa McDonald died in 2015 of bone cancer.
Tauaiti Kuka's video records the summer adventures of his friends as a tribute to two friends lost. Photo/ Tauaiti Kuka
Kuka has made videos of three summers since then, each year recording the adventures of the boys' friends, in a poignant tribute to lives well lived and sadly lost.
"My aim of this video was to show the appreciation I had for all my friends and family and also to showcase the meaning of life as a young adult.
"I tried to make it moving and uplifting to show that we were just young people having fun adventures over the summertime.
"I loved being around all my friends and I wanted to capture every single moment so I can look back and remember them."
Kuka said every person in the video was a close friend.
He knew Hamish through friends and he also knew Hamish's dad Greg, "a great guy". Kuka grew up playing rugby with Kereopa and his dad.
"In 2014, [Kereopa] was diagnosed with cancer so all my mates and I shaved our heads for him. He sadly died in 2015. I will always remember him and I will never forget the times I spent with him."
Kereopa McDonald doing what he loved, leaving into a ruck during a school sevens tournament at Blake Park a year before he was diagnosed with bone cancer PHOTO/File
Kuka said this third video of the group's summer adventures would be the last in the series as the boys and girls from the friend group were now 18.
Tauaiti Kuka. PHOTO/supplied
"The response from every single one of my videos has been awesome. The community has been so good to me in terms of response. I wan to thank you all for all the kind comments."
