Warriors star tells of stillbirth tragedy

Aaron Heremaia says he has received a huge amount of support from his club and teammates. Photo / Dean Purcell

Warriors star Aaron Heremaia has spoken for the first time about the tragedy that resulted in his pulling out of the club's recent two-match trip to Australia.

Heremaia's wife, Enrica, suffered a miscarriage of their identical twins shortly before the hooker was due to fly to Australia for a match against the Gold Coast Titans 12 days ago.

"It was a shock," Heremaia said. "I came to training Thursday night and we were leaving on the Friday. I found out that Thursday.

"It was definitely a shock but I just have to move on. Me and [Enrica] speak about it all the time. It is good to remember but we have to move on with our life now, just carry on."

The miscarriage, a result of a condition called twin transfusion, occurred 19 weeks into the pregnancy.

The condition means the twins share a placenta, causing a disproportionate blood supply.

"It is quite common but it doesn't usually happen that early," Heremaia said.

"It normally happens after 26 weeks. It was probably a good thing it happened earlier rather than later."

Heremaia said his wife was doing well after the trauma of a full labour to deliver the stillborn babies.

"She has her moments, which is expected, but she has been awesome through the whole ordeal.

"It is quite hard to lose twins but to actually deliver them too is another thing."

The couple, who have a 2-year-old son, had received a huge amount of support from the club and his teammates, Heremaia said.

"For the Gold Coast game the boys wore the black armbands and again for the Newcastle game. I've been flooded with texts and that from the boys."

A globetrotting former chef who played his way through league's lower grades to earn a contract with the Warriors and later an international call-up for the Kiwis, Heremaia was looking forward to returning to action on Sunday against the South Sydney Rabbitohs at Mt Smart Stadium.

"That's the type of person I am. I like to get back [to work]. The day I found out, the next day I was training anyway. I like to keep getting on with my routines, not sit around and mope.

"It is an escape for me to get back to my football. It is what I know and what I love," Heremaia said.

"While it has been hard the last couple of weeks it is refreshing being back amongst the boys, that camaraderie and closeness that we have got here."