His devastated partner, Alana Tait, 25, said: "He hated bookwork. All he wanted to do was be out on the tractor or be out on the bike or be out with his cows.
"He was a natural farmer. It wasn't a job to him, it was a lifestyle."
The tragedy has left Edmonds' sons wondering where their dad has gone.
"When Rawiri asks where Dad is, I just touch his chest and say, 'He is in here'. I don't really know what else to tell him," said Tait.
Edmonds returned home from work for a glass of water about 10.30am on Friday, July 14, before farewelling Rawiri with, "I'll be back later" as he headed back out to the farm.
He was helping a cow get back on its feet when he suffered what his family believes was a heart-related event. He was found lying in the paddock not long after 11.30am.
"It was just his ticker. It was all very sudden. There was no way he could have known it was coming," said Tait.
Edmonds was diagnosed with a heart murmur when he was 12.
If an autopsy confirms he died from a heart problem, he will be the fourth in his family to have died of a heart-related issue, leaving behind two siblings, Amy and Brendon.
Amy, 29, said the family did not know what heart condition had claimed three of Edmonds' siblings but she and Brendon planned on getting their hearts checked.
Tait said she would also take Rawiri and Tipene to have their hearts looked at.
The young mum is now coping with the loss of the family's sole breadwinner.
"He always said, 'You should never have to work'," said Tait. "He didn't want his kids being raised in a daycare or anything like that."
Amy said her brother was a devoted father who would do anything for his kids.
She has set up a Givealittle page to help raise money for Tait, Rawiri and Tipene. As of yesterday, 204 donors had raised $13,435 on the page.
* Donations can be made until Aug 21 at givealittle.co.nz/cause/helpforbryanskids
