Adam Watene had it all - a devoted partner, two beautiful children and a career playing the sport he loved.
But tragedy struck when the 31-year-old died during a routine weight-training session at his rugby league club in Wakefield, England, on Tuesday (NZ time).
Although a preliminary autopsyshowed inconclusive results, a heart attack is the suspected cause of death.
Watene, who hailed from Ngati Maru and had Tahitian-Cook Island links on his mother's side, grew up in Hamilton and Auckland before moving to Australia as a teenager.
His sister Sarah Cook said "the baby of the family" had a fairy-tale life.
"Everything that has happened in his life was like a well-written book. He went to Australia, found his talent, met his girlfriend - who was his first love - had two beautiful children and played the game he loved.
"And now a tragic end."
The talented prop impressed selectors in Britain in 2005 when he helped the Castleford Tigers to reach the Super League, before being signed to Bradford Bulls and then later the Wakefield Wildcats.
He also starred for the Cook Islands' national rugby league team at the World Cup in 2000.
His death comes six months after his father, Barry, died in April.
Watene and his partner, Moana, whom he met shortly after high school, are parents to 9-year-old son Arana and 4-year-old daughter Enangamoko.
Sister-in-law Louisa Te'i said Moana, who is preparing to fly back home with the couple's children for Watene's funeral service, was distraught and overwhelmed.
"She's trying to stay strong for the kids, who haven't really comprehended the scale of what's happened."
Preparations are being made for a tangi in Huntly, while a tribute game is being organised between his old clubs Wakefield and Castleford, with proceeds going to Watene's children.
