Hip-hop surfer who lived life to the full

BY MATT CALMAN

The last words Sam Costa spoke to her husband Tony before he left to surf at Lyall Bay were "Be careful babe".

It should have been just another routine afternoon with surfing mates but it ended in tragedy when a freak collision in the choppy waves ended his life at 33.

On Thursday, ahead of today's funeral in Wellington, Mrs Costa flew back to their Palmerston North home to retrieve some photographs and a few possessions of the man she called her "Taonga Ataahua" (beautiful treasure).

The couple married in 2000 and have two daughters - Jah'min, 9, and Unity, 6. Their third child is due in January.

Mr Costa died after colliding with another surfer at Lyall Bay, on Wellington's south coast, on Monday.

Mrs Costa said her husband of nine years was "our everything - the best dad any child could have".

"Tony taught me how to live, to be a wife and a mum, to become the best I could be. He taught me how to . . . make the most of each moment and each person and how life is so precious."

Mr Costa's friends told of his passion for his hip-hop group Illyspillaz, how he had collaborated with Kiwi groups such as Kora and Fat Freddys Drop, and was trying to finish his group's latest album.

Every morning since his death, friends have gathered at Lyall Bay to share their memories of him.

His body was returned to the family on Wednesday.

They remember a devoted family man, who moved to Palmerston North so his kids could be closer to their cousins.

He did not conform to a nine-to-five ethos - instead taking a string of part- time jobs - but had poured his energy into his family and making music. He was a joker who loved to start phone calls to his family and friends by posing as a takeaway shop worker.

He was known for his sense of humour and his chuckle.

"He loved his girls. His little girls are his queens," his mother, Lea Costa, said.

Her son loved living "on the edge" and was always sneaking off for a surf.

"He caused me a lot of worry. If you said 'don't,' he would've gone anyway. At least he lived life. He lived like that even when he was little."

Mike Costa said his older brother - his inspiration - found love at first sight with his wife, Sam.

"He was doing a gig one day and he told me that he spotted her in a crowd and he knew she was the girl he was going to marry."

Mr Costa found three regular surfing mates, including former Wellington Hurricane Kupu Vanisi, about two years ago.

They dubbed themselves the Rat Pack. Mr Costa had been surfing since his early 20s.

Rat Pack and Kora band member Francis Kora was on the shore when his friend got into trouble.

"[I was] chilling out with him just before he paddled out. It just happened so fast. I tried to pull him out of the water at the end. It was rough. Everyone knew how serious it was," Mr Kora said.

"He just loved music. He loved his family. He was always just a calm guy who people really adored."

On Monday afternoon, Mr Costa had planned to join his friend Fiso "Flowz" Siloata, from hip-hop group Foot Souljahs, to work on his latest album.

Mr Costa had texted ahead: "I'm in Welly. Look forward to catching up. I'm five minutes away. I'll meet you at your house and I've got beats for you."

"I left where I was and came [home], and never heard from him again," Mr Siloata said.

Mr Siloata said his friend's music dreams were "just starting to come to fruition". "He was one in a million. He was just all about love. That's the reflection that came through in his music, too. It's been an awesome journey with the bro and I can't believe he's gone."

Lyall Bay's Real Surf had so far raised thousands of dollars in donations for Mr Costa's wife and children, a shop spokesman said.

The funeral service will be held at Celebration Fellowship Church on Thorndon Quay at 11am today.

A wreath will then be laid at Lyall Bay before he is buried at Makara.

* To contribute to the appeal for Mr Costa's wife and children go to: realsurf.co.nz

- © Fairfax NZ News