Auckland swimmer and father of two Leslie Gelberger farewelled

Sunday, 30 April 2017

Westlake Girls deputy principal Tony Klein said Leslie Gelberger 'oozed fatherhood, clearly he loved his kids and [wife] Laura dearly.'

Hundreds of people have crowded in to a compact school hall to remember the teacher who died in an Auckland swimming accident.

Westlake Girls High School maths and science teacher Leslie Gelberger was killed while swimming in Auckland harbour on Thursday, April 20 - apparently struck by a Ports of Auckland boat.

As friends, family, staff and pupils 'celebrated' Leslie Gelberger, a rainbow appeared over Westlake Girls High School.

His body was recovered from the water near Mairangi Bay the next day after being spied by a passengers on-board a harbour ferry.

At an hour-long event on Sunday, billed as as 'celebration' of the Canadian father of two's life, those who knew him paid tribute.

'The first thing you noticed about Leslie [Gelberger] was his great big smile wrapped in a beard,' Westlake Girls deputy principal Tony Klein said.

**READ MORE:

* 'Romantic day' ends in tragedy

Gelberger was reported missing after he failed to return from a swim at Narrow Neck beach, near Devonport on Auckland's North Shore.

* Leslie Gelberger identified as water victim

* Police investigate Gelberger death**

Westlake's science head of department Jonathan Fry recounted Gelberger's immediate impact after he became a teacher there in 2017.

Reflecting on Gelberger's sudden, tragic death, Fry said: 'This guy had a profound impact on me.'

He remembered the late nights Gelberger put in staying behind to master Westlake's curriculum.

'I asked him, what are you still doing here?

'I need to get this done' was Gelberger's typical answer, Fry said.

One of Gelberger's physics students, Iliarne Watson, said Gelberger 'went above and beyond to do his best for all his students'.

'You said you hated your own high school [experience] so you decided to become a teacher to make it more enjoyable for us.

'He was selfless and dedicated and never failed to make us laugh.'

As Gelberger's wife Laura and two young sons Linus and Silas listened, several Westlake speakers remembered Gelberger making frequent mentions of his family.

Deputy principal Tony Klein said, 'Leslie oozed fatherhood, clearly he loved his kids and Laura dearly.'

Laura McLeod, thanked the hundreds gathered 'from the depths of her heart' for the love and support shown to her and her family since Leslie's death.

The Canadian couple first met 15 years ago at Toronto's Second City theatre comedy sketch improvisation course famous for producing famous comedians Mike Myers, Dan Akroyd and Tina Fey.

'I could just be me around Leslie,' she said.

Leslie had been reluctant to marry, so Laura recalled going out and buying herself a ring to feel like she was.

She laughed recalling what happened next.

On seeing the ring she'd bought he'd said, 'I want one, let's get married.'

'Sight unseen' the Gelbergers had moved to New Zealand and immediately fell in love with it, she said.

'What we found was our dream.'

Discovering 'surfless' Milford Beach, Leslie was forced to drop his favourite pastime surfing and take up ocean swimming, which he leapt in to with relish, Laura said.

At the ceremony, some of Leslie's favourite adventure was laid out: a woodsman's knife, a bicycle helmet, swimming goggles.

Thousands raised for family

Leslie Gelberger's death left his widow and children without an income.

Since a Givealittle page was created to help the family, since Sunday afternoon, more than $44,000 has been raised.