Members of the Cannons Creek community in Wellington today paid tribute to a man who drowned in New Plymouth on Christmas Day.
Richard Tautolo, 36, a pastor at the Hope Church, had dedicated himself to helping troubled young people.
He was swept down the Waiwhakaiho River, which
had risen after heavy rain, while swimming. He was married with four children under the age of 12.
Following the stabbing of Cannons Creek youth Fitzgerald Risati, 24, last month Mr Tautolo set up tents and mattresses on his lawn, inviting local youths to a barbecue to keep them safe and off the streets, the Dominion Post newspaper reported.
"You don't hear a buzz or a peep out of him. He just goes out there and works his bones off," Porirua deputy mayor Litea Ah Hoi said.
"Who is going to walk the streets at one or three in the morning and shoo those kids home, and if they don't have anywhere to go, take them in?" Ms Ah Hoi said.
The death toll from drownings this holiday period remains at three after as many days.
A six-year-old boy was found in the Waiau River, 65km from Tauranga, around 4.30pm yesterday.
It appeared he had lost control of his bicycle and crashed, hitting his head and falling into the water.
Also on Boxing Day, a man, aged 52, drowned at Tolaga Bay north of Gisborne when his boat his a rock 30m from shore.
Head lifeguard Jeremy Lockwood told 2ZB NewsTalk radio a man panicked and jumped overboard when a boat launched from a local ramp hit a rock.
A passer-by helped him to shore but he stopped breathing and could not be revived.
- NZPA
