Jordan Kemp had a 'bright future'

Kim Phillips outside the Otamatea Marae where Jordan Kemp's body is lying in state for mourners to pay their respects before his tangi tomorrow.Photo/John Stone

A grieving grandfather who lost his "pet" mokopuna Jordan Kemp to a suspected rugby injury says the young man had a bright future in the game and was just the type to have beside you in a tight spot.

Russell Kemp, a well-known rugby coach in Maungaturoto and Kaiwaka areas, said Jordan had a bright future in the sport because he was dedicated to it. His 17-year-old grandson died from suspected brain bleed on Sunday suffered during a match the previous day and just three weeks after securing a job.

Jordan's body arrived at the Otamatea Marae at 11.15pm on Monday and visitors, including his friends and relatives from overseas, began arriving yesterday to pay their respects.

His tangi will begin with a karakia at 11am tomorrow before his body is taken to the cemetery just across the road from the marae.

Traffic started building up on the roads leading to the marae yesterday afternoon when a group from Whakatane and Northland-based Labour MP Kelvin Davis were among those that presented their respects.

"We'll be receiving the manuhira that will come to pay their respects and this will go on till Thursday. There's quite a few people that have come through so far," Russell Kemp's cousin Kim Phillips said yesterday.

Mr Kemp said his grandson lived with him while working and studying through distance learning for a science degree in sports and fitness.

He said Jordan's dedication towards rugby, particularly his training and gym work, was unwavering.

"A brave young fella. If I ever went to war, I'd like Jordan beside me because I know he'd die for me," said Mr Kemp, himself a famed rugby player and coach of yester years.

Mr Kemp, Jordan's sisters Crishla and Michaela and other family members were at Kensington Park on Saturday to watch him play and everyone was having fun until Jordan went down, Mr Kemp said.

"He went down and stayed there for too long and it concerned me. I became worried but you couldn't do anything because there were medical people around who attended to him."

Jordan had just begun work at a local water factory in Kaiwaka and was supposed to do late shift this week. He had also bought a car with the help of a local garage and Mr Kemp thanked both businesses for giving the young lad an opportunity in life.

On rugby, he said: "He had the commitment because he trained every night of the week. I wanted to give him the chance (to play) that I had, an opportunity that my parents gave me back then."

On whether players should wear protective head gear, Mr Kemp said discussions on the subject were needed with rugby and medical experts but thought head gear could only be better for the game.

Jordan's Otamatea Hawks have decided to play Hora Hora as planned this week - a decision Mr Kemp fully agrees with, saying his grandson would have wanted the match to go ahead.

He has predicted a big funeral and thanked everyone for their help and support during what he described as a "very difficult time" for his family.

Staff at Kauri Springs New Zealand Ltd in Kaiwaka, where Jordan worked part-time as a floor assistant, organised a condolence gathering on Monday.

Administration and logistics manager Vaughan Evans said in the three weeks that Jordan had worked at the company he had made a big impression.

"He was a neat young man, not like a normal 17-year-old, he had his goals, his life sorted. A pleasant person to deal with," he said.

Mr Evans said the mood at the company on Monday was "very down in the dumps".