“Let’s just say if he was your mate, he [would have] died for you. He was always that person. He was never scared of anything.”
Bontuyan told Stuff Kearns would often joke about fighting in Ukraine after Russia invaded in 2022.
“He actually did it,” he said.
“I talked to his dad too, and we both agreed that he was in a clear state of mind. And he made the decision to go to Ukraine.
“He was ballsy like that. He was very spontaneous. He’s always been the type to fight for the right cause.”
Ukrainian ambassador to Australia and New Zealand Vasyl Myroshnychenko posted a tribute to Kearns online, saying his country would never forget him.
“My country remains forever thankful for Shan, for other New Zealanders, for Australians, and for all nationals who come to Ukraine’s defence, even at the risk of their own lives.”
Earlier this month, photos shared on a Telegram group and seen by the Herald showed Russian mercenaries celebrating the soldier’s death.
Kearns is the fourth Kiwi killed in the conflict and the third New Zealand soldier to die fighting in Ukraine against the Russians.
Dominic Bryce Abelen was on leave from the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF)when he was killed in a firefight trying to retake an enemy trench in July 2022.
In March 2023, Kane Te Tai became the second Kiwi soldier killed in Ukraine.
New Zealand aid volunteer Dr Andrew Bagshaw, 47, was also killed, alongside British volunteer Christopher Parry, 28, while trying to rescue an elderly woman in an area of intense military action when their car was hit by an artillery shell in January 2023.
In March this year, Abelen‘s body was finally recovered and farewelled in an emotional ceremony where four soldiers in Abelen’s unit performed a haka in front of the former soldier’s coffin during the ceremony.
David Williams is an Auckland-based multimedia journalist who joined the Herald in 2023. He covers breaking news and general topics.
