Victims overwhelmed by Feilding support

Though still racked with grief, the families of some of the victims of the events that have rocked Feilding say their pain is made more bearable by the support of the community they love.

Feilding people had always considered Bryan and Joanne Guy's household to be the embodiment of a rural Feilding farming family.

They ran a successful farming business while ensuring their children, Scott, Anna, Nikki and Callum, were brought up as friendly, down-to-earth people.

But the family's ''perfect'' existence was rocked when Mr Guy, 31, was shot dead outside his Aorangi Rd house on July 8. It was the first time the family had a close relative die in tragic circumstances.

Mr Guy's  sister,  Nikki, said she was ''humbled'' at the overwhelming support shown to her family by the Manawatu community.

''And I think probably why so many people feel affected by this is that any one of us could be a brother or sister or friend or husband or wife,'' she said.

The Feilding community had shown ''huge support'' towards her family, with people giving them food, flowers and even massages.

''We had a lady who's a masseuse. She stopped in to give us back massages to release the tension,'' she said.

''Everybody's been so thoughtful and caring and just dropping off so much food and offering to do cleaning, offering to do gardening.

''It's been overwhelming, and probably quite humbling as well, that all these people want to do all these lovely things for us to help us out.''

Ms Guy said she was proud to be brought up in Feilding, which she described as ''idyllic'', and had not considered moving away.

''[It's] nothing flash, just good community, lots of good friends and it was happy and safe.'' She did not want Feilding's reputation to be tarnished by her brother's death, but said she had been too numb with grief to worry much about its image.

''It's just too hard to think about other people's tragedies because I know what we're going through and it's just so devastating to even try to comprehend that other people are going through exactly what we're going through.''

Mr Guy's widow, Kylee Guy, moved to her mother's Hawke's Bay home after Mr Guy's death, but expressed her love for Feilding during a press conference in Palmerston North last week.

''I love Feilding, so it will always be my second home,'' she said.

Soon after Mr Guy's death, on July 26, flight instructor Jessica Neeson, 27,  was killed along with her trainee pilot, Patricia Smallman, 64, near Taonui Aerodrome in a mid-air collision.

Her uncle, Clive Neeson, said his family was still coming to terms with her death, but bore no ill-feelings towards Feilding or Manawatu.

''There's obviously a lot of unanswered questions but it doesn't have a bearing on the area at all.''
His family has received ''tremendous support'' from the aviation community in Manawatu and Feilding, he said.

The bodies of Desmond Winnie, Deborah Honeyfield and Ian Honeyfield were found in a Lees Rd house on Monday.

Officer in charge of the apparent murder suicide case, Detective Senior Sergeant Craig Sheridan, said this morning the post mortems had been completed and the bodies released to the families. He would not reveal the causes of death, and said police would be making a final statement either today or tomorrow.

CANDLELIGHT VIGIL

Feilding residents will come together for a candlelight vigil in the town's centre tonight to honour those who have died in the recent series of tragedies.

People will be able to light a candle and write a message on candle bags at the Clock Tower or Boer War Memorial in Feilding's Manchester Square from 5pm.

Feilding Promotion manager Helen Worboys said the vigil was a chance to remember family, friends and vicdhtims, and thank emergency services staff. Manawatu Mayor Ian McKelvie, Sir Mason Durie and Feilding Senior Sergeant Nigel Allan will give speeches; the Hato Paora College choir and Feilding Combined Church Youth Band will perform.

- © Fairfax NZ News