Family farewells born adventurer

Edward Sai Louie died on Mt Rolleston, near Arthurs Pass, and rescuers have been unable to recover his body. Photo / NZPA, NZ Police

Adventurous teenager Edward Sai Louie loved the outdoors and planned to be an environmental engineer.

But on Saturday the 18-year-old's life was cut short when he fell through an ice shelf while skiing with a friend on Mt Rolleston in Canterbury.

His friend spent up to two hours fruitlessly digging at the spot where he thought he had fallen.

Now his family are preparing to hold a memorial service for their son, brother and grandson, after emergency services this week said they could not retrieve his body because of the risk of causing an avalanche.

Speaking to the Herald yesterday, Mr Sai Louie's older sister - who did not want to be named - said her brother was an independent person who loved the outdoors.

That was always evident as he played sport at Epsom Normal Primary School and as a top kayaker at Auckland Grammar School.

He represented the school in the sport on several occasions and was a well-known face at the annual Adventure Racing Coromandel kayaking event.

Event organiser Andy Reid said Mr Sai Louie had entered nearly all the events the organisation ran, including cycling, trail running and multisport.

"I can't speak high enough of him," Mr Reid said. "He was a very inspirational guy - one of those exemplary youngsters who would have been a great role model to his mates."

Mr Reid said the teenager would often come up to him to "just say hello" and talk about the various events being held at the time.

"He just loved it. Being out there - it was what he loved."

From Auckland, Mr Sai Louie had chosen to study engineering at Canterbury University to be close to the mountains, his family said.

His sister said he was planning to be an environmental engineer to help protect the outdoors.

Known to his family and friends as Ed or Eddy, he liked to play the odd joke on his family.

He would also send them amazing photographs of his latest adventures - from the sea to the mountains.

After being flown to the spot where her brother died, the family had accepted that rescue teams had made every effort to retrieve him.

In a statement issued yesterday, the family said: "We will miss him so much and words cannot describe our pain. Although this is a terrible loss, he was in the mountains doing something he loved."

Two memorial services are being planned for Mr Sai Louie - who would have turned 19 next month - in Canterbury and in Auckland.