'He was the heart of our family' - Tears for young man who died jumping into pool

Ben Sargent, a talented skateboarder and soccer player, was in the last year of his flooring apprenticeship. Photo / Facebook

The parents of the young man who died trying to jump from a light pole into a pool on New Year's Eve have spoken of the pain of losing "the heart of our family".

Ben Sargent, 20, from Taraunga, hit the edge when he attempted to leap into the swimming pool from the 10m pole on a tennis court at the Lytton West home he and his friends were visiting in Gisborne.

Mr Sargent's family told the Bay of Plenty Times Weekend he was "the heart of our family" and "he had all of the best parts of each of us, and he made them even better".

"Ben was a loving, sensitive and generous person with a wonderful heart. He was quietly spoken, polite and intelligent," the family said.

"He had a large circle of friends, was well loved and popular, with a warm presence that filled a room. He was open and loving with his friends and family.

"Ben was talented at all sports and a very skilled soccer player. In earlier years, he was selected for the Poverty Bay rep team.

"He was playing with Lytton High School when they won the Bailey Cup, as one of the youngest players on the team. In recent years, he played indoor soccer socially, where he was well liked and admired for his ability. He was also a talented skateboarder.

"He excelled in all areas. He was renowned for picking up new skills, mastering them quickly and surpassing everyone else."

Ben Sargent went to Makauri School, Gisborne Intermediate and then Lytton High School. He moved to Tauranga at age 17, where he lived with his sister, Jasmine.

He was in the last year of his flooring apprenticeship; his second-year results placed him in the top 5 per cent in New Zealand.

A Tauranga friend, Rikki-Lee Dodunski, 18, said: "We shared so many amazing memories together.

"He was so much fun and always had the biggest smile on his face ..."

His death was a blow she was struggling to come to terms with.

"It's such a disturbance to me, knowing he's gone. I can't sleep at night," Miss Dodunski said.

"He was the most caring person I have ever met and I just truly can't believe he's gone."

Mr Sargent had left an impact on many people, Miss Dodunski said.

"He's imprinted his name in gold in everyone's heart. He had the most fun and loving personality.

"He loved hanging out with his friends, skating ... and just got along with everyone," she said.

Mount Mellick bar manager Sam van den Berg said Mr Sargent and his friends came to the bar almost every Saturday and he was known by most of the staff.

"He was a really, really nice guy. When I was told about it, I was in shock. He was an all-round nice guy. He went out of his way to help you. It's just really sad," he said. "He doesn't just say hello, he'd hug you."

The mood at the bar the day they heard the news was sombre, Mr van den Berg said.

Tributes poured in on Mr Sargent's Facebook page, with friends describing him as an "immensely stand-up guy", "always a happy dude with a smile on your dial putting out good vibes" and "spontaneous, always laughing and lived your life to the absolute fullest".

Mr Sargent is survived by his mother, Karen, who lives in Gisborne; his father, Murray, who lives in Western Australia; his elder brother, Jamie, based in America; and elder sisters Jasmine in Tauranga and Alana in Sydney. His death has been referred to the coroner.