Sean Kelly with dad Mark (back), and superheroes Scott Anderson, left, and Dillon Johnstone at the Loop Walkway.
Photo / John Stone
Sean Kelly with dad Mark (back), and superheroes Scott Anderson, left, and Dillon Johnstone at the Loop Walkway.
Photo / John Stone
This story has everything - loss, drama, two superheroes, a happy ending and loving thank-yous.
First, the loss. Sean Kelly, 6, accompanies his sister, mother and her partner to Whangarei's Loop Walkway on Tuesday evening when he blasts off on his scooter shortly after crossing Te Matua a Pohe Bridge.
Now the drama. A frantic search begins for the Kamo Primary School student who is presumed to be either at the BMX track or somewhere on Riverside Dr. His family is walking towards the Canopy Bridge frantically looking for him.
Enter the superheroes. NZME workmates Dillon Johnstone and Scott Anderson are walking the Loop in the opposite direction when Sean's mum asks if they have seen a little one riding a scooter. They answer in the negative and continue walking.
A short time later, they spot Sean on his scooter near a park looking towards Onerahi.
"He seemed a little bit standoffish but also looked like a little bit of a personality. He said he was going to look for his mum and her name was Crystal," Mr Johnstone said.
"So we got on Facebook and found a picture of him and his dad. He knew his mum and dad's name so that made it easier."
Mr Johnstone then sent a Facebook message to Sean's dad.
But before he picks up that message about 15 minutes later, mum is seen driving along Riverside Dr and pulls into the carpark.
The boy is reunited with his family and the superheroes are inundated with thank-yous from mum and her partner.
Dad Mark Kelly, who was not on the walk around the Loop, said Sean has taken off on his own before while walking with him.
"He knows he is to always stay within visible distance of us. I'll always be in debt to the two gentlemen who found him," Mr Kelly said.
Whangarei District Council community safety officer David Palmer said there have been no other incidents of the type experienced by the Kellys reported to the council from the Loop.
