NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Herald NOW
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
  • Herald NOW
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Politics
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Herald NOW
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / World

Daughter of Australian midwife stabbed on Christmas shares touching tribute

news.com.au
28 Dec, 2021 08:19 PM4 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Rachel Wake was known to love abseiling, skydiving and kayak tours. Photo / Facebook

Rachel Wake was known to love abseiling, skydiving and kayak tours. Photo / Facebook

The teenage daughter of a Tasmanian midwife who was allegedly murdered on Christmas Day has shared an emotional tribute to her mother, writing that she'll "always be your annoying daughter".

Rachel Wake, 52, died at the Royal Hobart Hospital on Saturday afternoon, after police were called to a home at Mornington in Hobart's east at 1.30pm. She was found in a serious condition and suffered knife injuries to her upper body.

According to Tasmanian police, her two teenage children were also present during the incident.

A man police believe was known to Rachel Wake, Darren Mark Wake, 60, has been charged with murder and didn't enter a plea when he appeared at the Hobart Magistrates Court on Sunday and Monday.

Wake remains in custody, with The Mercury reporting that he could only apply for bail in the Supreme Court of Tasmania.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

In a moving Facebook post, Rachel Wake's daughter, Romany, spoke of the ways she'll miss her mother.

"Dear mum," she began. "I love you, and I miss you dearly. I wish we could have spent more time roller skating, rock climbing, and going to local theatre and screaming songs in our late night shopping runs.

Rachel Wake's former patients remembered her as a 'caring, gentle and capable nurse'. Photo / Facebook
Rachel Wake's former patients remembered her as a 'caring, gentle and capable nurse'. Photo / Facebook

"I'm going to miss your over filtered photos, your hugs as I had a bad day, and our cooking. I wish our last hug was one bit tighter.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"I hope you're looking over me and laughing at my bad choices, and supporting my good ones, and giving me extra luck at my softball games.

"I love you dearly, and I'll always be your annoying daughter."

In memory of her mother, Romany has also created a Facebook page, Rachel's Voice in order to continue her legacy.

Since Rachel Wake's passing, her colleagues at TasOGS, a female-focused women's health clinic, began a GoFundMe campaign, with the proceeds going to her surviving children.

At the time of publishing it had raised more than $78,000, nearing its goal of $100,000.

In the comments of the campaign, several of her former patients shared stories of how they were comforted by the nurse and midwife while pregnant or giving birth.

"Rachel came into our lives as a midwife. Rachel helped and cared for Willo on the maternity ward [March 2021] when we nearly lost our baby girl. You touched our baby daughter Billie and bought life back to her soul while comforting Willo," wrote one past patient.

"Rachel delivered our second son Arnold seven months ago. I remember her as a caring, gentle and capable nurse. I feel so sad to hear she is no longer with us," shared another.

Another woman shared how Rachel Wake supported her through multiple miscarriages, as well as the birth of her two sons.

"Our first [Sam] was born prem. We spent a month in the Special Care Nursery with Rachel and lots of conversations were had about her love for her children," she wrote.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"We were scared. She was kind, patient and very understanding. She was the one I always turned to during those times. We would ask when she was next on night shift and look forward to chatting at 2am feed times.

"There are few people in this world that you meet and leave a lasting impression, Rachel was one of them."

Another former patient added, "Rachel lived life with passion. She adored and lifted up her children and took joy in all the precious moments in life – photographing a flower opening or helping a newborn baby into the world.

"She celebrated life and humanity. My heart aches for her and all who loved her."

Save

    Share this article

Latest from World

World

Machete-wielding man shot dead by police at Sydney shopping centre

13 Jul 04:52 AM
Royals

Royal and Sussex aides hold 'peace talks' in bid to mend relations

13 Jul 04:49 AM
World

Trump defends officials amid backlash over Epstein file investigation

13 Jul 03:44 AM

From early mornings to easy living

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from World

Royal and Sussex aides hold 'peace talks' in bid to mend relations

Royal and Sussex aides hold 'peace talks' in bid to mend relations

13 Jul 04:49 AM

The meeting at a private club marked the first communication in years.

Trump defends officials amid backlash over Epstein file investigation

Trump defends officials amid backlash over Epstein file investigation

13 Jul 03:44 AM
Trump admin’s handling of Epstein probe divides officials at FBI and angers Maga base

Trump admin’s handling of Epstein probe divides officials at FBI and angers Maga base

13 Jul 02:18 AM
'Unfair deal': Mexico, EU slam Trump's new tariff threats

'Unfair deal': Mexico, EU slam Trump's new tariff threats

12 Jul 10:40 PM
Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky
sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP