NZ Herald Headlines | Wednesday, February 4, 2026. Will unemployment rates change? Fears regarding changes to licensing system and major data breach at Mange My Health. Video / NZH
A man who died in a crash in Canterbury has been remembered as a “gentle, thoughtful young man whose presence was felt most in the quiet ways”.
Connor Cossey, 22, died in a single-vehicle crash on Jones Rd in Rolleston on the morning of January 5.
His mother, Angela Cossey,said that even at just 22, her son had “already built a life shaped by care, curiosity and commitment”.
“He didn’t seek attention or recognition, yet he earned deep respect through his integrity, kindness and steady nature,” she said.
She said Connor was known for his calm, introverted and considered personality and, from a young age, he was fascinated by how things worked.
“He was drawn to process, order and systems – something that suited who he was,” his mother said.
Growing up in a New Zealand Defence Force family, with both parents having served and his father still serving, values of structure, responsibility and doing things properly became second nature to him.
In Year 12 at Rolleston College, he became the first recipient of the Prime Minister’s Award for Vocational Excellence – an honour reflecting his commitment to his trade studies and the pride he took in practical learning.
He carried that same work ethic into his heavy diesel apprenticeship, where he was in his fourth and final year.
Colleagues admired his sharp wit, workshop banter and willingness to learn, his mother said.
“He never shied away from the hard jobs and was always ready to pitch in,” Angela Cossey said.
“He was respected not just for his skill, but for who he was – steady, capable and quietly dependable.”
Connor Cossey's tragic death has devastated his family. Photo / Supplied
Outside of work, Connor found joy in quieter worlds that encouraged imagination and reflection.
He loved anime and was especially fond of the animated series Adventure Time, often drawing surprisingly philosophical lessons from it about kindness, resilience and what it means to be human.
Friday nights were reserved for Dungeons & Dragons – a ritual he treasured.
Angela Cossey said family meant everything to her son.
“He shared a close bond with his older brother, particularly enjoying time together in recent years as his brother served as a qualified dog handler with the bomb detection team in the New Zealand Army,” she said.
