Hawkes Bay Today
  • Hawke's Bay Today home
  • Latest news
  • Sport
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
  • Video
  • Death notices
  • Classifieds

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • On The Up
  • Sport
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Residential property listings
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology

Locations

  • Napier
  • Hastings
  • Havelock North
  • Central Hawke's Bay
  • Tararua

Media

  • Video
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-Editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

Weather

  • Napier
  • Hastings
  • Dannevirke
  • Gisborne

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 / Hawkes Bay Today

Apiata named as judge in NZ Pride awards

By Vaimoana Tapaleao
Hawkes Bay Today·
13 Jun, 2014 11:00 PM3 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

MODEST HERO: Willie Apiata pays tribute to his mother. PHOTO/NZ HERALD

MODEST HERO: Willie Apiata pays tribute to his mother. PHOTO/NZ HERALD

Former corporal Willie Apiata, who was awarded the Victoria Cross for bravery, has been named as a judge in the Pride of New Zealand awards.

Mr Apiata admits he still finds it hard to think of himself as a hero and is quick to pass the title to someone else he thinks is worthy of it - his mother.

"I'm still getting used to being called a hero," Mr Apiata said.

"For me, my hero is definitely my mum. As a single parent raising four kids, she was always there for us and never gave in when it got tough."

Mr Apiata is today announced a judge for the Pride of New Zealand Awards.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

He is one of several high-profile Kiwis on the judging panel, which also includes former news anchor Judy Bailey; radio personality Polly Gillespie; and netball star Maria Tutaia.

Mr Apiata received the Victoria Cross in 2007 while stationed as a lance corporal for the New Zealand SAS in Afghanistan.

An enemy attack left one of the Kiwi soldiers critically injured and Mr Apiata made the decision to carry his comrade across the battlefield to safety while under fire.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Asked to describe what bravery was to him, he said that was still hard to define, despite the many dangerous situations he had been in over the years.

"Bravery comes in many shapes and forms and enables New Zealanders to do extraordinary things when called upon to help people in danger or distress."

He acknowledged there were many unsung heroes in communities around the country. But for him, those who deserved a whole lot of praise were those who worked hard for youth.

"People who give up their time to work in youth organisations, it's often a thankless job, but they do so much to empower our young ones. And not just the disadvantaged ones, but all kids from around the country.

"They are our future leaders, so it's important to give them as many tools as we can."

Mr Apiata has worked with young people and given motivational speeches at schools around the country.

Up until recently he worked with at-risk youth for the High Wire Charitable Trust, based in Papakura; running a satellite camp at Awhitu Peninsula.

He paid tribute to the trust's chief executive, Dave Hopkins, for his work and for being one of his key role models in life.

"[Dave] gives a lot of his time to the High Wire Charitable Trust, helping and teaching our youth.

"A lot of people put in a lot of effort here and it's great to be able to empower our kids and strengthen them for when they return back to their communities as better people."

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Save

    Share this article

Latest from Hawkes Bay Today

Hawkes Bay Today

Fashion series supports businesses with multiple winter events

Hawkes Bay Today
|Updated

'We have you surrounded': Police standoff at Hawke's Bay house

Hawkes Bay Today

Wet intro for Winter Art Deco but fine weekend ahead


Sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Hawkes Bay Today

Fashion series supports businesses with multiple winter events
Hawkes Bay Today

Fashion series supports businesses with multiple winter events

Napier hosts Fashion in the City 2025, featuring nearly 15 events in July and August.

17 Jul 12:00 AM
'We have you surrounded': Police standoff at Hawke's Bay house
Hawkes Bay Today
|Updated

'We have you surrounded': Police standoff at Hawke's Bay house

16 Jul 11:41 PM
Wet intro for Winter Art Deco but fine weekend ahead
Hawkes Bay Today

Wet intro for Winter Art Deco but fine weekend ahead

16 Jul 11:08 PM


Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky
Sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

06 Jul 09:47 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
  • Hawke's Bay Today e-edition
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to the Hawke's Bay Today
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • NZME Events
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP