Widowed father of six Michael Tarei mourns wife Pania after breast cancer battle in Australia

A Kiwi father of six who learned his wife had Stage 4 breast cancer when she was diagnosed on Mother’s Day is now mourning her death in Australia.

“Me and the kids are going to miss you so much, babe. Life will never be the same without you,” widower Michael “Mudzz” Tarei wrote online in memory of Pania Dunne, 37.

In December last year, Tarei spoke to A Current Affair about how he was dreading life without “the backbone of our family” and how his “world just shattered” when Dunne was diagnosed.

Tarei and Dunne lived and worked in Australia and faced financial hardship after he quit work to nurse her. The Australian government also cut off support payments.

The family experienced a stunning outpouring of support after Tarei spoke on Australian television.

They raised $500,000 through an online appeal, ensuring the family could stay in their Sydney home, as well as almost $50,000 from a private fundraising drive to help pay for her treatment.

Media attention also saw the Australian government reinstate support payments and offer backpay.

‘With profound sadness we share the news’: Family remember Dunne

Dunne was remembered in an obituary last Saturday, which said she died in a “serene moment, surrounded by the embrace of her family and an abundance of love”.

The obituary read: “On behalf of Mudzz Tarei and the family, we extend our heartfelt gratitude to everyone who has offered prayers, support and kindness during this incredibly difficult time.”

A Kiwi father of six who learned his wife had Stage 4 breast cancer when she was diagnosed on Mother’s Day is now mourning her death in Australia.

“As we collectively mourn the loss of a dear soul, let us also celebrate the legacy of a life well-lived.”

Tarei said: “I don’t know why God chose to take you. It just doesn’t seem fair. My heart just hurts. You battled hard all the way - by far one of the strongest ever. But man, [it] was the hardest day of my life watching my soulmate take her last breath.

“Seeing my boys cry for their mother and knowing you won’t get to see them grow up just broke my heart.”

Cancer diagnosis came after birth of twins

The couple’s youngest children, Kyrie and Nevaeh, brought double joy to the family with their arrival in 2022 but, within a year of their birth, Pania was given the heartbreaking news.

“She was complaining of a sore back but she’d just had the twins six months before that, so we just thought it was from the birth of the twins,” Tareid told A Current Affair.

“[We] didn’t really think it was that bad until it got to a stage where she couldn’t really walk properly and then ... yeah, confirmed probably my worst nightmare, really.”

They initially hoped she could beat the cancer, but Tarei had to watch on as the “backbone of our family” was laid low by the aggressive disease.

“She’s not in a very good state. She can’t really do anything on her own,” he said at the time.

“That’s the hard part, just seeing her, because I know what kind of lady she was. She never liked anyone doing anything for her, she’d do it all on her own.

“She’s amazing. Best mother ever. Best partner. She always puts other people before herself, and I’m just so grateful that I met her.”

Financial struggles

Tarei quit his work as a scaffolder to nurse his wife and her mother Shona came from Aotearoa to help with her care.

“It’s literally like she’s a baby again. Very sad what she’s going through,” Shona said.

“It’s a big job, it’s a very big job when you’ve got the grandchildren and you’ve got Pania upstairs.

“He carries Pania downstairs to her appointments in the wheelchair.”

She didn’t have long left and Tarei wanted her at home, but their caring efforts had stretched the family’s finances to breaking point.

The family-of-eight already had support from locals, but they faced an uphill battle to keep paying rent on the three-bedroom townhouse they crowded into in the Sydney suburb of Bankstown.

“Things are pretty rough at the moment,” Tarei said at the time.

Then Pania was cut off from her benefit payments, compounding their problems.

“I’m not sure why,” he said. “I tried to contact them.”

“Whatever support we can get would be amazing... There’s definitely challenging times ahead,” he said.

He said he still needed to tell the kids just how sick their mum was.

“They know she’s sick, but not how bad it is. I’m trying to wait for when the time is right to tell them.

“It’s going to be so hard.

“We just got to stay strong for the kids and stay strong for her.”

Raphael Franks is an Auckland-based reporter who covers breaking news. He joined the Herald as a Te Rito cadet in 2022.