Touching tale shows how even “the worst” can bring peace.
A Financial Services Council study in 2021 showed that 71 per cent of all Kiwis have inadequate levels of life insurance, rising from 54 per cent in a similar study in 2011. This story of a talented and brave woman underlines what such cover can bring, besides money.
The old saying holds true, that nothing is certain in life apart from death and taxes – and brave 49-year-old Muri Paekau-Richards, facing a terminal cancer diagnosis, wanted people to know that all too many do not address the certainty of death, ignoring the fact that life can play cruel tricks on us and our loved ones.
So, in September 2022, Muri approached AA Life Insurance to tell her story after receiving a terminal illness benefit and an early payout of her life insurance after she was diagnosed as having less than 12 months to live.
This was no ordinary woman. Her work in film, television and video saw her involved in Wellington’s film industry, Fashion Week and, with a strong urge to travel the world, she learned to scuba dive in the Caribbean. She then took visiting groups diving – and later became a fixture at some prestigious country clubs in Florida; her authentic and down-to-earth New Zealand nature proved popular with the ultra-wealthy.
But home called and, in 2014, she took a seasonal role at a lodge in Franz Joseph – where she met her husband Nick, with whom she built their dream house in the ruggedly beautiful Haast, on the West Coast. Almost eight years later, however, that fateful diagnosis rudely interrupted their “forever” plans.
She returned to her papakāinga - her whānau homestead in rural Otorohanga in the Waikato, her great-grandparents’ home where she had grown up, now home to the sixth generation of the family. It was here, her key group of carers and immediate family came together – Muri’s husband, son, granddaughter, mother and her aunties.
At the homestead, Muri confronted her fears – and reflected on the comfort her insurance had given her. She tried to quieten these fears with her beautiful way of viewing death: “I see it as a transition, and I am going from love to love. I am going to those who have passed before me.
She didn’t want this story to be about her, but about the difference having cover in place provided: “It is not even my story, it is the raising of awareness around what’s available to Māori, to women, to New Zealanders, in terms of preparation. I feel like through what I’ve experienced, this is what I have discovered, and people should know about this,” Muri stressed, adding “If you don’t have insurance, your options are undeniably limited.”
It came down to Muri not having to worry about money in her final precious months and what the money allowed her and her whānau to do. “I did not have to worry about my husband needing to go to work. He can be here to drive me to my appointments, he can be here to make a coffee, to do some mirimiri, and it’s also allowed my Mum to be here with us. When I think about this year – it’s about togetherness.”
This money also allowed Muri to share her love for travel and exploration with her nieces, paying to send them on a plane to Queenstown to visit the house Muri and Nick had built. She loved the excitement on their faces and revelled in them feeling the transformative powers of travel.
“Muri’s story is not only heartwarming, it’s heartwarmingly practical too,” says Adelia Prayugo, Marketing Manager of AA Life Insurance. While we can’t always imagine the worst, the worst often happens – and it is worth planning for it.
“As Muri showed, it’s not just about looking after yourself but those you love as well – and it is often surprisingly affordable, in contrast to what a lot of people – often young people – think. It helps look after things like mortgage repayments, living costs, or simply by leaving a legacy, depending on the level of cover.”
Adelia says there are three main steps towards securing a future where death’s sting is somewhat numbed: sorting a life insurance policy, making a will and deciding how you’d like your funeral – for example, opting for a unique, more sustainable one.
Making a will provides peace of mind, he/she says, with people able to relax knowing that their wishes have been written down, and their loved ones, pets and values items will be looked after. Many people leave instructions about the type of funeral they want to have and it’s becoming increasingly common to want to leave this world in a more sustainable, environmentally friendly way.
This kind of planning, says Adelia, brings comfort to many people and, in the end, their loved ones: “It’s exactly what Muri said – not having to worry and to be in a place where you are not only surrounded by your loved ones but the knowledge you can help look after them when you’re gone.”
Muri Paekau-Richards passed away on Tuesday, June 14, 2022. Surrounded by her whānau, she made her transition “from love to love”.