Tributes to young man who touched lives of many

TAKEN TOO SOON: Tributes are pouring in for Jamie van der Kuijl after he died in an accident on a farm on Friday. He will be greatly missed by his family and many friends. Picture supplied

TRIBUTES are pouring in for prominent young martial arts sportsman Jamie van der Kuijl, who died in an accident near Gisborne on Friday afternoon.

Mr van der Kuijl, 25, was driving a four-wheel-drive All Terrain Vehicle (ATV) on a track on a farm off Pehiri Road when it rolled 15-20 metres down a steep bank. He was one of two men on the vehicle.

“Mr van der Kuijl and a 17-year-old passenger were both thrown from it as it rolled,” said Manutuke police constable Tim Winchester. The 17-year-old suffered minor leg and shoulder injuries. “They had been returning to the house where they were staying after a day’s docking when the accident occurred.”

Mr van der Kuijl is the much-loved son of Leigh Jones and John van der Kuijl, and brother of Tom and Bex.

He was taken out of the district for a post-mortem and was returned home to his family on Saturday night. His funeral will be held at St Mary’s Star of the Sea Church on Thursday at 11am.

He was educated in the district at Mangapapa School, Gisborne Intermediate, Campion College and Wairoa College, and attended EIT Wairoa. He also lived for a time in Tauranga where he attended Otumoetai College. He studied sport science at the Auckland University of Technology and worked as a personal trainer in Auckland.

He had changed direction in his life recently and, looking to his future, had decided to train to be a teacher. He returned home last week to spend time with family and work, and help his grandparents, before leaving for teachers’ college in January.

He made his mark in mixed martial arts here and overseas. “VDK”, as he was known, was introduced to kickboxing in the humble surroundings of Wairoa’s Thai Boxing Gym in 2009. In an interview he said: “I’ll never forget that gym in Wairoa. It had a concrete floor and no toilets.

“I was docking sheep for a holiday job with members of the Hapi family, who trained national kickboxing champion Willie Rewi. I have a lot to be thankful for — for all the people who picked me up back then,” he said.

On his Facebook page, Mr van der Kuijl said how he was looking forward to going up to the farm to work over summer: “sweet as — be good to have a bit of time in the country”.

Many tributes have been posted on social media.

“Jamie van der Kuijl was an amazing fighter but was an even better friend and person with the most beautiful heart. We will always love and miss you more than life . . . til we meet again. Rest in paradise.”

Another Facebook post said: “You are a true soldier gone too soon. But you have touched so many people’s lives. Rest in peace to a wonderful soul.”

The tributes show the lives he touched and how special he was thought of by many.

There is a coroner’s investigation into the accident. A police serious crash investigation is also under way, alongside a WorkSafe inquiry.