Customer Story : Lyn and Anaru

Lyn and Anaru :

My youngest son Anaru wasn't breathing when he was born, resulting in some brain damage, seizures and cerebral palsy. He required 24 hour care as he was unable to feed himself, walk, sit unaided or talk.

Anaru brought joy :

However, he filled our lives with so much joy. He could communicate in his own way, his smile would brighten anyone's day, and he taught us so much about ourselves and other people. He went everywhere with me till he started preschool.  He was mainstreamed at our local school where the tamariki there loved being with him. I took him twice to Sydney to meet whanau over there. My oldest mokopuna was only 14 months younger than him and they were inseparable.

We miss him :

It was because of him that I started training to be a social worker but sadly for us all he had a seizure due to a virus and died in 1998 when he was nearly 6 and a half years old. We miss him so much but we talk about him all the time, we know he is around us and looking after us.

Special words :

The words on the necklace "Walking tall, running free, watching over us forever" signify that he is now able to do things he couldn't do while alive. The words are also on his headstone.

Pendant :

Lyn won this Mandala Pendant, which fits perfectly for the words they like to remember Anaru by.  It was an honour to make this pendant in memory of such a gorgeous and special wee boy.