Rozayah Hudson was killed in a "tragic accident" on a farm last week. Photo / Supplied
Rozayah Hudson was killed in a "tragic accident" on a farm last week. Photo / Supplied
A photo of Rozayah Hudson grinning as he clutched a pile of driftwood in his small arms is a reminder to his family of who he was - a little boy just trying to make his koro proud.
The 6-year-old boy, who died in a "tragic accident" on a dairyfarm in Ōpōtiki last week, was a cheeky and caring child with a big heart, his family said.
Police were called to the farm in the Eastern Bay of Plenty on Thursday evening last week after Rozayah was fatally injured.
"He was too good for this world and God needed him back," said his mother, Stormie Topp.
"My son is now in peace ... [he] will always be remembered as a loving, loyal, helping and giving boy. Always putting others first, before himself."
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Rozayah's family are still in shock over their sudden loss, knowing they'll never again see his toothy smile or hear him talk about his favourite dinosaur.
Rozayah Hudson collecting firewood on his first camping trip with his koro. Photo / Supplied
"He loved dinosaurs, he bloody loved them. Just before he started school he knew just about every name of every dinosaur," said his koro's partner, Kelsey Herewini.
Herewini wouldn't say what had happened to cause Rozayah's fatal injuries, only that it had been a "tragic accident" on the farm, and he had "just wanted to make his koro proud".
"It's just been a huge shock to the system, you know? You never expect these things but now that he's not here with us anymore it's just, it's heartbreaking. No words to describe it."
Herewini has known Rozayah since he was 1 year old, and said he spent a lot of time with her and her partner on the farm.
Rozayah was a keen dinosaur fan, his family said. Photo / Supplied
"He was a very cheeky boy but also very caring ... he was keen to do the mahi (work) with koro.
"He used to like coming with us camping and fishing. We even took him eeling once.
"He just wanted to be like his koro, I think. Wanted to do everything his koro wanted to do. He was a very keen little boy."
Herewini said the family must remember him for the "happy, cheeky little boy that he was" and hold onto the memories.
"He wouldn't want us all sitting down here crying and hurting ... if he saw someone crying he would comfort them."
Topp told the Herald Rozayah was "my heart, my love, and my everything".
"Now he's gone I need to be strong for my younger kids and be their rock, because my son was my mine. I need to stay at peace for him. It would upset him knowing and seeing me broken and hurting so I will be strong for him."
Police said in a statement on Saturday: "We acknowledge the anguish of the family and friends during this difficult time and our thoughts are with them."
A WorkSafe spokeswoman said the death was the third on a New Zealand farm in a week, after a tractor death in Te Kūiti followed by a second tractor-related death in Hastings.
Worksafe continues to investigate Rozayah's death.
