Boy killed in West Coast car accident had never driven before tragedy

Simon Norris had never driven a car before the night he died.

The 14-year-old was staying at the home of a friend, also a young man, and it was raining heavily when the couple decided they would go for a walk in the evening.

They quietly pushed the car through the driveway and began their journey down Mai Mai Valley Rd near Reefton around 8.35pm on Sunday.

Simon’s father, Ch’e Norris, told the Herald that the car was traveling between 40 and 60 km when it lost control at a corner, causing the vehicle to roll down a slope.

“The friend heard Simon say ‘I’m going to die, I’m going to die’ and managed to get out of the car and run 8-10 km for help.

“But when the ambulance arrived, it was too late.”

Simon had died in the car.

The friend had suffered broken ribs and a collapsed lung.

Two police officers, their church minister, and a social worker knocked on the Norris’ door around 1.30 a.m. and broke the news.

Norris said the pain really hit them Monday.

“It’s really difficult. Simon was a great happy boy. He was a wonderful boy and we will miss him.

“He really loved fishing, surfing, he had so many friends. He was looking to the future and was going to join the Navy or Air Force. He was so loved.”

Simon leaves behind two brothers, ages 10 and 7.

“His brothers absolutely miss him. They are heartbroken.”

Norris visited Simon’s friend in the hospital shortly after the accident.

“He and his mother said it was a total relief. They thought we were going to blame them for the accident, but we told them we didn’t.”

“We just gave them a big hug and told them it was okay because teenagers are teenagers these days.”

Norris said they don’t blame anyone, it was just a tragic accident.

He said that, as far as they knew, Simon had never driven before.

“That’s one of the things I was going to teach him to do, it was to drive when he was 16 years old.

“He always wanted to learn before then and do the things you are supposed to be older at.”

An investigation into the cause of the accident is underway.