'Utterly devastated': Grieving widow's tribute to firefighter killed in landslide
Thursday, 16 February 2023
The grieving widow of a firefighter who died in a landslide as Cyclone Gabrielle wreaked havoc on Auckland’s west coast says she is “utterly devastated by the sudden loss of my extraordinary husband… who was the cornerstone of our lives”.
Dave van Zwanenberg and his colleague Craig Stevens were investigating flooding at a house on Motutara Rd – the main access into the small, beachside settlement of Muriwai – when a landslide occurred and the house collapsed late on Monday night.
The pair were trapped in the slip.
Stevens was rescued, but is badly injured and remains in hospital.
**READ MORE:
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**
Van Zwanenberg’s body was found on Wednesday morning.
A father of two, he studied in the United Kingdom before moving to New Zealand, where he lived in Muriwai with his wife and two children.
On Thursday, van Zwanenberg’s widow Amy released a statement saying her husband was “first and foremost, a family man”.
“Dave was dedicated to spending quality time with his children and building a life to nurture their growth. We decided that Muriwai and its beautiful community was the perfect place for this.
“Monday night started out as just another occasion where Dave made sure we were settled and safe at home and headed out to join the fire brigade and help his community. Reliability and dependability were his core values, whatever the weather.
“Dave was blessed with the unique abilities, so few possess, to not only survive but thrive in extreme environments and circumstances, performing complex tasks and caring for others calmly under pressure. He used this multifaceted skill set in his profession as a veterinarian, where so many have benefited from his care, and in his personal pursuits as a pilot, kite surfer and ultra-marathon runner. But he also loved a good book on the deck.
“Dave will be remembered for his good humour, his authentic care, his astronomic intelligence and supreme competence at pretty much anything he turned his hand to.
“Yesterday I was able to see the search site and speak to some of those who had been involved in his rescue and recovery. It grew a new depth to my gratitude for the courageous crews who had continued to search for my husband under absolutely atrocious conditions and threats to their own safety.
It was palpable that they had been searching for one of their own, and they devoted themselves to that impossible task with the fervour one does for their own family. I am deeply grateful to Urban Search and Rescue, the NZ Police and all the fire and emergency crews involved, but especially to Dave’s brigade, who have been so deeply affected.
“I would also like to publicly thank my dear friends who have immediately come to my little family’s aid and supported us with their special talents, caring for us emotionally and practically and wrapping us in love through this horrendous time. You give me the strength to continue to be the mum I need to be, to help Dave’s beautiful children thrive despite this pain, and to be the legacy that he would be most proud of.”
Vets North’s website said van Zwananberg “is a highly valued member of our equine team”.
“Outside of work he can usually be found down the beach kitesurfing or when the wind is not blowing wakeboarding,” the website said.
He previously wrote an “ask the experts” column for Horse and Pony magazine and flew small planes.
Fire and Emergency chief executive Kerry Gregory previously said a full rescue operation was initiated as soon as the landslide happened.
However, concerns about the stability of the grounded hampered efforts to find van Zwananberg.
Flags are being flown at half-mast on all fire stations to acknowledge his death.