Paige Johnson’s sister, Natika Matthews, visited he brothers memorial on Thursday and was “upset” to find everything was gone. Photo / Ben Fraser
Paige Johnson’s sister, Natika Matthews, visited he brothers memorial on Thursday and was “upset” to find everything was gone. Photo / Ben Fraser
A memorial tribute to a deaf and blind man killed after a hit-and-run in Rotorua last year has been stripped less than a year after his death.
The entirety of the memorial, including hand-crafted items left at the Edmund Rd pedestrian crossing in tribute to Paige Johnson, has been takenby a member of the public, Johnson’s sister, Natika Matthews, told the Rotorua Daily Post.
“I’m very distraught, I’m not happy about the situation,” Matthews said.
In July last year, the tribute was set on fire for a third time, and handcrafted items were also stolen.
Matthews visited the memorial on Thursday and told the Rotorua Daily Post she was “upset” to find everything was gone.
The entirety of a memorial left at the Edmund Rd pedestrian crossing in Rotorua in tribute to Paige Johnson have been taken.
“We showed up, and it was completely gone; it hasn’t even been a year since Paige passed.”
Johnson, 24, was struck by a motorcycle as he tried to cross the pedestrian crossing on the afternoon of June 15, 2025. He died in the hospital from critical injuries three days later.
“He was our superhero in our family, and he could do things that no other person could.”
Matthews said she was angry and disappointed when she discovered there was nothing left of her brother’s memorial.
“It’s empty. It just didn’t feel real when I first went there, like it never happened.”
Matthews acknowledged it “wasn’t exactly the smallest” memorial but said it was “very well-maintained”.
Part of the memorial at the pedestrian crossing on Edmund Rd in Rotorua where Paige Johnson, 24, was struck by a motorcycle.
“We had people go down there twice a week just to check up and clean it, making sure that there were no cable ties on the ground, no wires on the ground, making sure there was nothing that could damage other cars or people.”
She said there were six poles on the crossing, “absolutely covered” in flowers from the top of the pole down, but most of the memorial was in the centre of the crossing.
“That’s mainly where Paige’s stuff was hung, just because it was safer for people to stick and stay in the middle of the crossing.”
She said that whole section was decorated before it had all been taken.
“There are a lot of words I could use, but it’s just heartbreaking.”
Among the items taken were a handcrafted diamante teddy bear and a specially made bangle with Johnson’s name on it attached to one of the crossing posts.
Flowers at the pedestrian crossing on Edmund Rd in Rotorua where Paige Johnson was allegedly struck by a motorcycle.
“I understand that the flowers and stuff will be hard to return, but there were little symbolic things that were down there.”
She said she would visit the memorial on a “regular basis” because she lived nearby.
“If it was becoming a problem, we do work with the community with the crossing, and we’re happy to change things, but not change everything.”
She said Paige was a massive person in the community, “just because of who he was”.
“If there’s going to be one flower taken, there’s going to be 10 more to replace it.”
Rotorua Lakes Council said they had nothing to do with the removal, and Matthews said she had been in contact with the council and police about the removal but, to date, nothing has been done.
Matthews said she had an image of the person believed to be responsible for taking the memorial items.
Following Johnson’s death, Matthews said she had been working with a transport safety adviser, suggesting CCTV footage be put in the location of the crossing.
“Not only because of what happened with my brother, but also because of what happens in that area.”
Riki Ronald Edward Lum, 31, has pleaded not guilty to Johnson’s manslaughter, with the case set to go to trial.
Kaitlyn Morrell is a journalist for the Bay of Plenty Times and Rotorua Daily Post. She has lived in the region for several years and studied journalism at Massey University.
