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An Auckland man who went to the aid of a neighbour being stabbed by her estranged partner received one of the nation's top bravery awards in a ceremony at Government House, Epsom, yesterday.
The New Zealand Bravery Star is awarded for acts of outstanding bravery in situations of
danger, and Taufui Aevalu Paea of Glenfield is one of only nine New Zealanders to receive the award since it was instituted in 1999. The only higher award for bravery is the New Zealand Cross.
On December 6, 2004, Mr Paea tried to save mother of six Sheryl Pareanga, 33, but her estranged partner killed her.
The citation for the award said the partner had been on the run from the police for weeks.
The offender arrived at Ms Pareanga's home while she was getting out of her car and helping her 2-year-old daughter out of a carseat.
The man approached, and after a short discussion, their conversation turned into a heated argument.
"The man began to assault the woman, who managed to break free, but he caught up with her and began stabbing her in the back and shoulders," the citation says. "The victim managed to struggle free again and this time ran to the front door of Mr Paea's house.
"The man caught up to the victim again at Mr Paea's front door and both of them fell through it into the hallway.
"Mr Paea, who was in the kitchen at the time, rushed into the hallway to find the man straddling the victim and stabbing herin the neck, shoulders and stomach."
He called out to the attacker to stop, but was ignored.
"Mr Paea then tackled him, wrapping his arms around him and trying to pull him off the victim. The man pushed Mr Paea away, causing him to fall onto the victim.
"As he tried to stand up, he was stabbed in the left cheek, causing a deep puncture wound that later required five stitches and a brief period of hospitalisation."
Wounded and in shock, Mr Paea managed to escape from the attacker, left the house and alerted another neighbour, whom he asked to call the police. He then returned to his home to save his wife and grandchildren, who were in the lounge.
His wife managed to pass the two children out of the window and he took them to safety before returning yet again to get his wife and see if he could help the victim.
As he approached the house he met the offender, who was leaving carrying two knives. Seeing Mr Paea coming towards him, the man jumped over a fence, ran through a neighbouring property to his car and drove away.
Mr Paea entered his home to find his wife safe, but Ms Pareanga, who had been stabbed 30 times, was dead.
- NZPA