Dead skateboarder's family say thanks

The family of a man killed when he fell from his motorised skateboard in Havelock have returned to Marlborough to pay tribute to the "wonderful" community for its "massive outpouring of aroha".

Forty-one-year-old Thomas Kenny died on January 27 when he fell from his 500-watt electric skateboard just a few metres from his Mahakipawa St home.

Mr Kenny, known in his family as Tom Tom, was not wearing a helmet.

On Friday Mr Kenny's brothers Aylmer and Stephen and sister Leah travelled to Marlborough from Wellington to thank those who helped them after their brother's death.

Their first stop was Cloudy Bay Funeral Services, where funeral directors Alan Walker and David Buckley went "above and beyond the normal call of duty" by looking after Thomas all the way to his tangi at Takapuwahia Marae in Porirua, Aylmer Kenny said.

Mr Walker took Mr Kenny's body in a hearse on the inter-island ferry and then drove to the marae, despite only having a half-hour window to get back in time for the return sailing.

He made it.

Stephen Kenny remained in the hearse during the sailing, as it is important in Maori culture that the newly deceased are not left alone.

He was interrupted by a ferry staff member who told him people were not allowed to remain on the vehicle deck during sailing.

"I said `I'm staying with my brother' and he was like `why, is he sick?' ... [Thomas] was probably laughing about that."

Informed of the actual situation the staff member left, but later returned with orange juice.

The siblings also paid tribute to Cloudy Bay for allowing them to turn their chapel into a makeshift marae so they could remain with Thomas overnight.

The move was one of many acts of kindness shown to their family after Thomas' death and they were feeling "grateful and humbled", Stephen Kenny said.

A Marlborough kapa haka group sang to Thomas until 2am, while he was dressed "like a king" after Thomas's menswear sales assistant Helen McIsaac gave the family a gold-coloured silk tie.

A meal at the Royal Hotel led to more offers of condolence while Thomas' Sanford colleagues collected mussels for his tangi and Havelock police senior constable Maurice Horne was "amazingly kind".

The kindness continued with Havelock Garden Motel offering them free accommodation on Friday night, while the family also thanked family and friends from Nelson and Marlborough who offered their support.

"The hospitality and the aroha [everyone's] shown us is amazing ... people down here have just been so fabulous," Aylmer Kenny said. The siblings had given koha to those who helped them and put a tab on at Havelock Hotel for Thomas' friends and workmates on Friday. Leah Kenny said she was not surprised by the response of Havelock, and greater Marlborough, residents.

"He used to say the people of Havelock were amazing – you can see why."

- The Marlborough Express