Fatal accident on Boxing Day: Dad pays tribute to his beloved son and urges children to think about their parents when they are traveling

As Jack Heritage Snr turns off the Christmas lights, there is great sadness that their only son will not be there to celebrate with them next year.

Her son, named Jack like his dad, died after an accident on the Triangle Rd Bridge in West Auckland on December 26.

Heritage read about an accident on the news and looked out the window to check that their cars were still parked outside.

But later that morning, two policemen came to his door and at that moment he knew.

“They asked me to come in. I had a weird feeling,” Heritage said.

The officers urged him to sit down and told him what they could.

“My son Jack had passed away,” he said. “He was lying in a morgue.”

It was a shocking blow that stunned the 20-year-old’s parents. Next year was supposed to be her son’s year.

“That’s what I felt,” Heritage said.

Jack was ready to embark on a new chapter in the military in 2021.

He had completed his senior year of high school at Kelston Boys’ High School in 2018, having previously attended Wesley College.

The family had moved to New Zealand from Fiji when Jack was about 7 years old.

As the united family mourns, Heritage has been moved by the large number of people who show up at its home to personally pay tribute to Jack’s memory.

Her “good-hearted” son made friends easily.

Even as Heritage was speaking to the Herald, another friend had arrived to pay his respects.

“It has comforted us,” he said of the overwhelming level of support.

There were many young men among the afflicted.

“I’ve been telling them, ‘I don’t want your parents to go through what we’re going through now,'” Heritage said. “It is so painful.”

So many sad faces, tears wiped from her eyes as they looked down at the ground, she said.

“So please … Learn from what has happened. Just be careful. Think of your parents. Think of your life.”

You want to do something good out of a painful tragedy.

“God give me the strength to take the opportunity to encourage someone or help someone learn from this,” Heritage said.

The accident also claimed the life of Viliami Muru-Teutau, also 20, and hospitalized two others.

In a statement released yesterday, Muru-Teutau’s family said they were devastated by the loss of a vibrant and loving son and young father.

The family described him as a naturally talented athlete who loved rugby.

He was a former Maori Under-18 player from New Zealand, who played for a New South Wales team last year, before returning home to play for the Waitematā Rugby Club main team.

As a roofing apprentice, he was working hard to complete his business training to support his young family.

“Our world has been turned upside down and upside down. This is supposed to be a Christmas season of festive bliss and instead we are crying and grieving.”

Five motorists have so far died on New Zealand roads during the official Christmas / New Years holiday period.