Friday 15 October 2010

JASON WRIGHT


Today Southland will be in mourning for a young man who was making his mark on the local aviation scene.

Jason Wright, 29 wanted to be a helicopter pilot pretty much from the day he could talk.

Now small towns can be pretty hard to get out of sometimes, the lifestyle can be quite seductive. Jason was the only son of Liz and John, both born and bred Southlanders of Ngai Tahu descent. They are great parents and did all they could to help Jason realise his dream of being a helicopter pilot and its a huge credit to them that he ended up doing the thing he was born to do - fly.

Our son is a helicopter pilot too, so we know just how expensive it is and how hard a career it is to crack.

He and my son shared botha passion for flying and of the south.

Jason was good looking young man who was unfailingly polite and he was single minded in the pursuit of his dream.

He started flying around the age of 18. He flew both here in New Zealand and in places like Cambodia where he was involved in animal recovery. He could have set up shop anywhere in the world, but he chose to go back to the place of his heart - Bluff. It was home and like most of us who hail from those parts - we have a bond with Stewart Island that can never be broken.

This year he took us to our Muttonbird Island. He looked after his passengers like they were his own whanau - muttonbirders are really one big whanau anyway. Jason understood them and they loved him for it.

In fact, I suspect that for many years the hard money that Liz and John earned from muttonbirding, would have gone to help Jason realise his dream.

He was on our facebook page. We shared stories on there from time to time and the photos he took showed his passion for Stewart Island was probably as strong as his passion for helicopters.

He soon established himself as a trusted and popular pilot and as a young Bluff businessman. Bluffies were so very very proud of him. He was the role model many parents suggested to their kids that they could do well to emulate. He was the epitome of the small town boy doing good.

Today they found his body and that of the chap he was flying with - Allan Munro, another man who was obviously a lover of aviation, in the cold waters of the Bluff Harbour.

It is so hard when good men die young. So hard to fathom the reason for it all.

But we will remember the Jason who sucked the juice out of the fruit of life every damn day. He didn't waste one second of his time. He was still in awe at the beauty of the places he got to visit every day and he understood the people of the south and he loved sharing both with those from other places. His was not just a life well lived -it was a life lived best.




11 comments:

Anonymous said...

A fitting tribute to a well-liked young man. Thank you

kehua said...

Our thoughts are with you and Jasons whanau. God Bless.

christine said...

well said. We are very sad about this death.

Anonymous said...

such a beautiful soul lost ul b forever in our hearts jas u done urself ur whanau and our community proud. Sleep well and fly high my friend xoxo

Anonymous said...

Well said, a loverly young man, killed, doing it must be said something he loved

I thought of you especially when I heard the news, knowing your son was in the same risky business
You just have to let your children fly free and hope/pray

RayF

Adolf Fiinkensein said...

Maybe you should start asking questions about why so many of those Robinsons seem to land so heavily?

Anonymous said...

RIP Thoughts are with the family. Going by your Facebook page you were adored by so many people from Verdon and everywhere else!

Bec said...

such a sad sad time for the family and our community of Bluff. The whole community was proud of Jasons achievements and he will be sadly missed.

Anonymous said...

I worked with Jason on a mineral exploration camp in Canada. I share your sense of lose with this dynamic and talented young man.
At the time my 4 year old grandson was helicopter crazy and just lived flying in his imagination. Jason laughed at that which had been his childhood dream too. 'Yeah yeah encourage him.'
He didn't die falling from the sky he died flying to his dreams.

Anonymous said...

I worked with Jason on a mineral exploration camp in Canada. I share your sense of lose with this dynamic and talented young man.
At the time my 4 year old grandson was helicopter crazy and just lived flying in his imagination. Jason laughed at that which had been his childhood dream too. 'Yeah yeah encourage him.'
He didn't die falling from the sky he died flying to his dreams.

Anonymous said...

jason was an awsum guy. i still think bout him every day and it brings a tear to my eye. i miss u jaze and hope i can see u again sum time... oxoox love u man