Leroy Kaaho aka Linkin Kisling (inset), and searchers on Lake Wakatipu. Photo / ODT
Leroy Kaaho, also known as Linkin Kisling, died how he lived: protecting his children at all costs.
The 48-year-old Wānaka local died trying to rescue his son in Lake Wakatipu on Friday afternoon. His heroic efforts saved his son, who was brought to shore by a Glenorchy local, but the father’s body ended up being found in the lake, 24 hours later.
It was a warm summer’s day last Friday and it was meant to have been just another fun family day out. Kaaho, known in the Wānaka area as Linkin Kisling, his partner and the couple’s three children went for a drive to Glenorchy.
They hadn’t planned to go into the lake but took what his wife Siana describes as a “spontaneous trip” and, once there, decided to spend some time exploring.
The kids had their togs, the weather was warm, the lake looked inviting, and there were plenty of other people around the area. No one could have guessed that the day would end in tragedy.
“We hopped out, saw a lot of people, walked down to the wharf, saw the sandbar, the kids had their togs so we thought they’d have a swim,” Siana said. There was a little canal where they had a little swim.
Speaking to the Herald, Siana recalled the moment they told their two boys, aged 10 and 12, who were in the water, that it was time to come back. “We yelled to the boys ‘come back’, the boys said ‘we can’t, we’re trying’. Linkin just took his top off, no hesitation, and ran in. Without any question, he just ran out.”
The older son managed to get out of the water as the dad tried to reach the 10-year-old boy. His wife watched from the shore.
“Then I saw Linkin was struggling, he started calling out. I went and as soon as I stepped in, I dropped and then I was struggling myself, but my oldest son managed to grab my hand, pulled me up and I was just keeping an eye out because I could see them bobbing and then by the time I got up, I was waving my arms because there were people, but they weren’t close enough to see.”
Two men eventually spotted Siana waving in distress and ran over. “I said, ‘please help my husband and sons out there’.
“One, I believe his name was Oscar, swam up to my son, managed to flip him over and he got him back and I just kept my eyes on Linkin to ensure that he was there.” Another man told her he couldn’t swim but tried to help save the man anyway. By then, Linkin was underwater.
The 48-year-old man’s body was found 24 hours later, on Saturday.
“Those 24 hours were a daze. I was in shock, in disbelief, I could hear my children screaming and crying,” Siana said.
The family is grateful to the Glenorchy community which rallied around and supported them while authorities searched for Linkin’s body. “I was in shock, my children needed that comfort and they did it. There was a midwife who came, took my son’s pulse, got him a blanket. They stayed until the end. I am very grateful to everyone who was there with us.”
Callan Grimmer, who helped lead the search, said the man’s body was found on the lakebed about 50m from the Rees River mouth at about 3pm on Saturday.
The police national dive squad had been called in.
Grimmer said there had been a great effort from the wider public on Friday to help the family, and two helicopters and seven boats, including five from Dart River Adventures, were involved in the initial search.
“A member of the public managed to pull the boy in,” Grimmer said.
Emergency services were first called to Lake Wakatipu at Glenorchy at about 2.55pm on Friday.
Senior Sergeant John Fookes said they were made aware at least one young person had drifted out into the lake.
The father had tried to help his son to get back, he said.
A St John spokeswoman said an ambulance, a first-response unit and a helicopter were sent to the scene on Friday.
One patient with minor injuries was taken to Lakes District Hospital in Queenstown by road.
A second helicopter was stood down before it arrived at the scene, the spokeswoman said.
A fisherman who was at Greenstone when the incident was reported also took part in the search.
The water near where emergency services were called to was waist-deep, although there was a drop-off which could catch people out, the fisherman said.
For the family, while it is tough to accept that Kaaho died in such a tragic way, the focus is on how he died: trying to save his son’s life.
“He was so fit, so active, played rugby till last year, never smoked, didn’t drink, and was a confident swimmer,” his sister Melissa told the Herald. Melissa, alongside her brother Jason and Kaaho’s eldest daughter Trinity, flew from Australia as soon as they heard the news.
When she landed in New Zealand on Saturday, her brother’s body was yet to be found.
“He was a dedicated father to the very end. He lived for his children and he died for his children,” she said.
“He wouldn’t have wanted to live if his child had died and he had lived,” her brother Jason added.
Kaaho was a stay-at-home dad to his three young children, who were his greatest joy in life. He was passionate about physical activity, having played rugby up until last year, and holistic health. He had also recently taken up taken gardening as a hobby.
His eldest daughter Trinity still cannot believe her dad is gone and says she is focusing on staying strong for her younger siblings.
“Me and my father were inseparable and absolutely best friends so it’s a very, very, very big loss. Dad was a big inspiration and just my absolute everything,” she said. “So to have that taken away ... although I will say, the reason why [he was taken] I think it’s just amazing. That just explains exactly who my dad is ... he’s always been about is his kids and he died a hero, at the end of the day, and he’ll be very happy. He’ll be up there and be very happy with that.”
The family, originally from Auckland, were invited by local iwi to attend a service on Sunday in the area where Kaaho died. A rāhui is in place on an area that covers Glenorchy and the Dart River end of Lake Wakatipu until 3pm on Tuesday.
The rāhui has been placed on behalf of Rūnanga o Ōtākou and Kāi Tahu ki Tuawhenua Kāhui, and the family was in attendance when a blessing was held at the site yesterday.
Kaaho was the oldest of five children, and described by his sister as a “beautiful, beautiful man” who will forever be remembered as the father who lived and died protecting his children.
“At the end of the day, that’s heroism.”
- Additional reporting by the Otago Daily Times