Whakaari: A thousand farewells for tour guide Hayden Marshall-Inman

Friday, 20 December 2019

Hayden Marshall-Inman has been remembered as a hero during his memorial service on December 20

It was his 1111th trip to Whakaari and almost as many people turned up to his funeral to say goodbye to the hero tour guide.

Hayden Marshall-Inman's name is forever linked to that fateful trip to Whakaari/White Island on December 9 that claimed 16 lives.

He was remembered as a 'superman', a 'hero' and, now, a 'guardian of Whakaari'.

'What better way to lose a son than as a hero,' his father Alan Marhsall-Inman said.

Hayden Marshall-Inman is being remembered as a 'guardian of Whakaari' by his family.

The Whakaari/White Island eruption on December 9 claimed 21 lives.

* Heated theatres, cadaver skin - how White Island burns victims are being treated

* The road ahead for burns victims

Mark Inman, spoke about the frustration of not being able to retrieve his brother's body. (file pic)

* Burns surgeon back from maternity leave to help injured

* Year of trauma: Christchurch Hospital staff responded to March 15, then Whakaari

Hayden Marshall-Inman was remembered as a hero by family and friends at his funeral on December 20.

* 'Fantastic team work' in treating severely injured patients**

'We know he was the last man off that island. You have done New Zealand proud.'

Hayden's body was not recovered by rescue teams and is believed to be in the sea. Because of this the family remember him as a 'guardian of Whakaari'.

Forever connected to the island he loved. Images of a life lived on the sea and for adventure flashed over the screens behind.

Guardian is a good way to describe Hayden. He was a lifeguard, devoted uncle, godfather, youth camp counsellor, donor to charities and an avid fan of paying it forward.

Whenever he would purchase his favourite crocodile lollies from the 4 Square he would leave a $5 note for the next shopper.

'He would give the shirt off his back to anyone,' Alan Marshall-Inman said.

He was also a good man to have around in a crisis. Two years earlier Hayden had helped many people evacuate people from a burning tour boat.

'He made sure the safety of everyone was his number one priority,' he said.

'He was the last man off that boat. I got a message just the other day from someone saying he never got to thank Hayden for saving him that day.'

Another instance involved Hayden diving into the sea to save a swimmer who had suffered an asthma attack.

Helicopter pilots who helped rescue people from Whakaari the day of the eruption say it was likely Hayden helped the survivors before perishing.

Kahu NZ pilot Tom Story was among the first on the scene after the eruption. Speaking at the funeral he said he had pulled Hayden from a stream but he was unresponsive.

'We saw the first group on the ground and landed,' he said.

'Mark Law [a fellow pilot] followed footsteps down into a valley and found Hayden about 50 metres away from the group.'

Story also ran down and pulled Hayden from the stream he was lying in. 'We were adamant we would be back for him.'

'My mind clicked later that the first group we had found were all alive because of the actions of Hayden and Tipene Maangi [another guide].

'They offered them first aid, gas masks which were all around the group. I have no doubt this aided them surviving. They would always help others before helping themselves.'

Hayden's body lay there awaiting recovery but bad weather is believed to have swept it out to sea the night following the eruption. Rescuers say they came within metres of recovering a body they believed to be Hayden's.

His mother, Avey Woods, was philosophical about this.

'Wherever he is, either on Whakaari or not, that's where he should be,' she said.

'He was the last man off that island. He will be the last man home.'