Bedside vigil as Waipawa teen battles injuries sustained in fatal car crash

Elijah Watene remains in a coma, more than a week after a Napier car crash that killed his girlfriend and left six others injured. Photo / Supplied

Nineteen-year-old Elijah Watene is lying sedated and seriously injured in a Wellington Hospital bed after the car he was a passenger in crashed in Napier just over a week ago.

Elijah may not be aware that his father has been at his bedside the whole time, his grandmother is there, his mother and stepmum, friends and siblings have been there, and back home in Waipawa his family has been wrapped around with support that his stepmum Jessica says is "overwhelming".

"We have some awesome people in this country. Both our employers - Silver Fern Farms and Vet Services Waipukurau - have been amazing. We are so grateful for the support as it helps Shaun to be in Wellington, with Elijah.

"Shaun's mum Desiree Watene is down with him too and has been since it happened. She is an amazing support person for her son and grandson," says Jessica.

Shaun will be down in Wellington for months, or until Elijah can come home, Jessica says.

"This is the longest our whānau have ever been apart.

"I will go down as often as I can to support him and be there for Elijah. We have two younger kids at home which is where I get torn. They need me too."

Elijah is also unaware that his girlfriend of four years, Harmony Tepou, who was also involved in the crash, didn't make it.

Harmony and Elijah met when they were both at CHB College. She passed away at the scene of the crash on Napier's Shakespeare Rd. Six others besides Elijah were injured. One person was unharmed.

Elijah - rugby player, music-lover, rapper, and "awesome big brother" - has broken ribs, a fractured spine, and a head injury. He is sedated and a ventilator breathes for him. He has had spinal surgery, CT scans, and each day he is allowed to wake, just a little, to see if he can follow simple instructions: "Squeeze my hand, wiggle your toes ..."

Just this takes a lot out of him and he needs to sleep again. It's an achievement that Shaun celebrates though, every time.

Shaun updates Elijah's family and supporters every day via an open Facebook page. The messages of support he gets back he reads to his son.

Shaun says: "This is the hardest thing for me ever, to see my boy laid up and I can't make it better, to see my boy unconscious knowing I can't wake him up. This is why we need to hold our kids tight and tell them we love them every day."

Jessica says her family "has never been one to ask for help", but admits to needing it now, and says she is grateful to everyone who has helped.

The CHB Mail will pass on Jessica's details to anyone wishing to contribute a koha to the family, please message CHB Mail on Facebook: CHB Mail