NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Herald NOW
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
    • The Great NZ Road Trip
  • Herald NOW
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • Deloitte Fast 50
    • Generate wealth weekly
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Politics
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Herald NOW
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / New Zealand

Fatal text crash: Miracle kids

Jamie Morton
By Jamie Morton
Multimedia Journalist·NZ Herald·
15 Jul, 2014 05:00 PM3 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save
    Share this article
Matt Ruddell is happy with the progress of Phoenix (left) and Faith. Picture / Alan Gibson

Matt Ruddell is happy with the progress of Phoenix (left) and Faith. Picture / Alan Gibson

Suspected text driving crash survivors back on feet after accident that claimed mum

Just over two months ago, a battered Phoenix Ruddell lay in an induced coma at Starship Hospital with injuries so serious that doctors expected a long road back to recovery.

The Tauranga 4-year-old's little sister, Faith, also suffered a broken leg and head injury in the car crash - believed to have been partly caused by text-driving - that claimed the life of their mum, Tracey O'Brien, 26.

But yesterday, Phoenix, was happily swinging on the jungle gym at Top Kids, while Faith, 3, was getting her hands messy with an art and craft set.

Watching on, at what was their third day back among their friends at the Mt Maunganui early learning centre since the accident, dad Matt Ruddell smiled at the long overdue playtime.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"I'm so stoked with them and how resilient they've been."

Phoenix, or Phee to his family, lost up to 5kg of body fat from spending much of the past two months in a cast that covered most of his body.

Having suffered a broken pelvis, two broken femurs and a fractured arm, he is now learning to walk again.

"He's been impressing the guys at physio because he's doing a lot more than we would have expected," Mr Ruddell said. "But we are thinking it will take him a lot longer to walk."

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Faith, whose head injury was more serious than that of her big brother's, was still being assisted with fatigue management.

But last week, Mr Ruddell was left with no doubt both were eager to get back to being kids when what was supposed to be a 10-minute visit to the centre turned into an hour and a half-long play session.

"They just took off. Faith got straight into the face painting and Phee was jumping among the dinosaurs, so that just told me they were ready to go back."

Mr Ruddell wants to start a campaign to stop people texting while driving.

Discover more

New Zealand

Motorcyclist pinned between car and letter box

04 Jul 03:44 AM
New Zealand

Teens hurt when crash ends chase

09 Jul 05:00 PM
New Zealand

Driver charged over police chase crash

09 Jul 10:25 PM
New Zealand

Crash claims 'precious' brothers

11 Jul 06:00 PM

A preliminary police investigation found the use of a cellphone may have contributed to the May 3 crash, and the case is still before the coroner.

Western Bay of Plenty road policing manager Senior Sergeant Ian Campion said previously that Ms O'Brien wasn't wearing her seatbelt and might have been texting at the time of the crash.

Tracey O'Brien
Tracey O'Brien

Mr Ruddell said he was amazed at the support the family was still getting from the community.

"I'm still getting stopped in the street, to the point it's almost a novelty now."

More than $11,000 had been raised for Faith and Phoenix via the website Givealittle and Mr Ruddell planned to use some of the funds to take the children on a trip.

Top Kids had also helped arrange a signed Chiefs rugby jersey to be raffled to benefit the family.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Mr Ruddell remained convinced the children knew their mother had died soon after the crash.

"I think they knew but just didn't understand ... We've had that conversation and it was really challenging but they are in a good space and will tell me how they feel."

A memory box has been put together with newspaper clippings and sympathy cards and Mr Ruddell hopes the children will be able to go through it one day to help them understand what happened.

- Additional reporting: Bay of Plenty Times

Save
    Share this article

Latest from New Zealand

New Zealand

Body found in sea near Te Akau Split Rock, Raglan

New Zealand
|Updated

11 people rescued after getting trapped in Hamilton casino lift

Premium
New Zealand

‘Rapid growth’: International students flock back, but what happens next?


Sponsored

NZ’s convenience icon turns 35

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from New Zealand

Body found in sea near Te Akau Split Rock, Raglan
New Zealand

Body found in sea near Te Akau Split Rock, Raglan

Police were told a person had fallen in the water on Saturday morning.

06 Sep 08:41 PM
11 people rescued after getting trapped in Hamilton casino lift
New Zealand
|Updated

11 people rescued after getting trapped in Hamilton casino lift

06 Sep 08:20 PM
Premium
Premium
‘Rapid growth’: International students flock back, but what happens next?
New Zealand

‘Rapid growth’: International students flock back, but what happens next?

06 Sep 08:00 PM


NZ’s convenience icon turns 35
Sponsored

NZ’s convenience icon turns 35

02 Sep 09:23 PM
NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP