NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Herald NOW
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
  • Herald NOW
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Politics
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Herald NOW
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Entertainment

Teina Terei, son of Kiwi entertainer Pio has died after a battle with leukaemia

NZ Herald
17 Aug, 2016 10:00 AM3 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Pio and Teina Terei pictured at the 2011 premiere for the Billy T James movie. Photo / Christine Cornege

Pio and Teina Terei pictured at the 2011 premiere for the Billy T James movie. Photo / Christine Cornege

The son of one of New Zealand's best-known entertainers, Pio Terei, has died at just 17 years old following a battle with leukaemia.

Teina Terei, who was in his final year of high school at Auckland's St Peter's College, died on Wednesday morning at Auckland Hospital.

Teina, like his father, was an actor. He appeared in the film Billy T: Te Movie alongside his dad, was in a host of TV commercials and also appeared in TV shows like Are we There Yet, Last Man Standing and Shortland Street.

The St Peter's College Old Boys' Association took to Facebook to mourn Teina's passing, saying: "Teina had been courageously fighting a battle with leukaemia, and his tenacity was an inspiration to all of us. Teina was a true St Peter's man who will be sorely missed by students, staff and old boys alike.

"Please keep Teina and his family in your prayers. Eternal rest grant unto him O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him. May he rest in peace."

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Teina's father is best known from his show Pio!, The Life and Times of Te Tutu and his multiple TV appearances over the years.

In the weeks leading up to his death, Teina was full of hope on social media, looking forward to getting out of Starship Hospital and planning a trip to Fiji, writing on Instagram: "Can't wait for Fiji, thanks Pio".

View this post on Instagram

Went to Piha today was craving some real fresh air... I love the beach I really feel I have a connection to the ocean.. it makes me feel like I'm cleansing myself drawing out all the bad shit.. These chemo drugs fuck with your head and really test your mental strength so it was good to be amongst nature before I'm locked up in a room for a while.. Had the best company ever too couldn't wish for anyone better @anaherahakiaha

A post shared by Teina Terei (@teina_lee_terei) on Jul 9, 2016 at 3:14am PDT

He recently posted this video of Piha Beach which he captioned:

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"These chemo drugs f*** with your head and really test your mental strength so it was good to be amongst nature before I'm locked up in a room for a while.

"I love the beach, I really feel I have a connection to the ocean...it makes me feel like I'm cleansing myself drawing out all the bad s***.

St Peter's College Principal James Bentley said the whole college is shocked and devastated.

Bentley said Teina had been with the school for seven years and was well known for being theatrical like his father.

"He's a great, fantastic kid. Very cheerful extremely well liked by staff and students. He had a great sense of humour.

"He's been an inspiration to us all with the battle he put up against leukemia.

Bentley said a testament to Teina's character was how he did some level two assessments last year from his bed at Starship Hospital.

"One of the really inspirational things is that even at Starship he continued with tutorial sessions. Lots of staff would go up there and take him through lessons. He was very keen to continue with his studies.

"He's very dedicated, he had big plans for his future."

The school held a mass today to remember Teina and will continue to support students with counselling.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Bentley said the Terei's were very involved in the school. Teina's older brother left the school in 2012 and their father was on the board of trustees. He said the Terei family, including his mother Deb and brothers Jack and Dalton were instrumental in setting up the school's kapahaka group in 2008.

"Their family has been really involved in the school."

St Peter's has 1350 students, 200 of which were in Teina's year 13.

Teina was with EMS Actor Management. His profile lists the teenager's skills as trampolining, swimming, bicycling, dancing, music and basic Maori.

Save

    Share this article

Latest from Entertainment

Entertainment

Ex-MasterChef star reveals alcohol addiction

Entertainment

Lena Dunham's 'Too Much' on Netflix redefines rom-com expectations

Entertainment

Whittakers release new limited edition flavour 'Banana Caramel'

Watch

Sponsored

Sponsored: Why heat pumps make winter cheaper

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Entertainment

Ex-MasterChef star reveals alcohol addiction
Entertainment

Ex-MasterChef star reveals alcohol addiction

He underpaid 500 employees $7.8 million over six years.

14 Jul 03:56 AM
Lena Dunham's 'Too Much' on Netflix redefines rom-com expectations
Entertainment

Lena Dunham's 'Too Much' on Netflix redefines rom-com expectations

14 Jul 03:45 AM
Whittakers release new limited edition flavour 'Banana Caramel'
Entertainment

Whittakers release new limited edition flavour 'Banana Caramel'

Watch
13 Jul 10:00 PM


Sponsored: Why heat pumps make winter cheaper
Sponsored

Sponsored: Why heat pumps make winter cheaper

01 Jul 04:58 PM
NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP