EERIE LINK - SH1 claims lives of father and son 9 years apart

A popular young firefighter has lost his life in a car crash on the same stretch of road that claimed his father's life nine years earlier.
The double tragedy _ and the eerie coincidence _ has shattered the 20-year-old's friends and family in the Bay of Islands.
Paora Takimoana was critically injured when the car he was a passenger in left SH1 at Otaika, just south of Whangarei, on August 1. He died the next day in hospital.
A crash investigation is yet to be completed, but police say driver fatigue may have been a factor.
His father, Paul Takimoana, was one of three people who died on New Year's Day 1999 in a crash on SH1 at Oakleigh _ just a few kilometres from the accident that took his son's life.
Paora - described as cheeky and talented, with a strong sense of community spirit and a gift for making people smile - held down several different jobs, but found time to volunteer for the Kawakawa Fire Brigade.
Close friend Albert Cash, who introduced Paora to firefighting last year, said he grew up with his father and was "pretty devastated" by his death in 1999 on the same stretch of highway.
"It's a pretty freaky coincidence. It's not something you'd expect."
Paora would be remembered as a great guitar player with good manners and many friends.
"He had a real community spirit as well ... I'm still pretty shattered," Mr Cash said.
After his father's death Paora moved north to live with family and friends in the Far North and Bay of Islands.
Paora's death had been extremely hard on those close to him, Mr Cash said.
Kawakawa chief fire officer Wayne Martin said he was a "cheeky chap" who made people smile.
"He was a real pleasure to be around and was really into the social side of the brigade."
While firefighting was a passion, he took his work as a chef seriously, and had jobs in a bakery and Paihia hotel.
He was also part of the Culture North kapa haka group that performed at Waitangi.
"He was a talented young man who will be sadly missed," Mr Martin said.
Paora had worked at The Bakery in Paihia for three years, where co-owners Blair and Doreen Paterson have been inundated with customers asking about him.
A sympathy card on the counter was filled with messages within a day, Ms Paterson said.
"He was an absolutely lovely young man.
"He had a beautiful smile, and all the customers loved him."
Paora was to have celebrated his 21st birthday next month and was saving for a trip to Rarotonga.
"I kept telling him, `the bakery is not the life for you. You need to go out and do something bigger'," Ms Paterson said.