A Bottle of Memories

On November 3rd and 4th, just three weeks before they were married, Rebecca and Hayden spent the weekend with Rebecca’s father Mark, her eldest sister Nichola and her little brother Nicholas.

On Saturday there was a long debate as to what would be the most entertaining way to spend the afternoon. Nichola passionately held out for Mini Golf in Picton, but the majority ruled, so everyone climbed into the Bighorn and set off for an afternoon of wine tasting.

As Hayden drove down Old Renwick Road, Rebecca insisted “track 10” on the CD be played, her favourite tune of all time, and played at full volume! With Rebecca in the back singing along to “One Night in Bangkok” at the top of her voice, anywhere down Rapara Road was as good a place to start as anywhere.

If the day started out happy, after a few stops it was even happier, and Domain George Michel was added to the list. Rebecca loved some of their wine so much, out came the credit card and a few bottles purchased. As she was completing the purchase, she noticed a large jar on the desk with a sign noting that a monthly draw was made for a free bottle of wine. So, into the bottle went her business card.

She asked her Dad for one of his business cards as well, and as there was no New Zealand address on his business card, she wrote her home address on the back and added it to the pile.

On Friday December 7th, the day after the family returned to New Zealand from Fiji with Rebecca, everyone met at Hayden’s for lunch and in the middle of the meal a Post Haste Courier arrived.

It was a bottle of Domain George Michel Golden Mile Pinot Noir for Rebecca’s Dad, the prize winner for the November 07 draw.

Julie Yonge of Domain George Michel said that they are always very careful to ensure that the draw each month is fair and unbiased. When the draw was initially made, it was Rebecca’s business card that was drawn first. Julie had worked with Rebecca briefly in the past at Century 21 in Blenheim so knew that she had just been tragically killed.

There was a further problem however, as when Rebecca’s card was drawn it was attached to a second business card, thereby invalidating the draw.

Both business cards were put aside and a second draw made.

This time, and maybe with a little “assistance” from Rebecca, her Dad’s card was drawn.

The very gratefully received bottle of Pinot Noir, along with the business card with Rebecca’s own hard writing on the back, are now safely locked away, to be opened maybe one day in the future in memory of Rebecca.

Rebecca’s Dad is sincerely grateful to Julie Yonge and Domain George Michel for this wonderful memory.

Rebecca fund may be used to help children

A fund set up by the family of Marlborough woman Rebecca Stockwell who was killed in Fiji on her honeymoon will probably to be used to help children.

Rebecca Stockwell's huband, Hayden, and her parents, Heather Richards and Mark Crawley, have yet to work out details of the fund but feel some of the money should be spent in Fiji.

Heather said her daughter loved children, and she hoped to use some of the fund money to help children in Fiji as she feels that would make Rebecca happy.

Heather said she could talk for hours about the daughter she was immensely proud of and the world was a poorer place without her.

"Talking in the past tense is the hardest thing," she said.

Mark said the fund was in its early stages as they needed to work through Fiji regulations and wait for outcomes of various inquiries.

He said safety in resorts was becoming more important as more powerful boats were being used. The fund will also probably be used to promote water safety.

He said nothing would ever be 100 percent safe but if they could prevent another family going through the same thing that would be good.

"I still can't wrap my mind around it. All I can say is there is part of me utterly wants to panic at the thought of never seeing her again."

He had a business idea with his daughter and intends to continue what they started with some of the profits going towards the Forever 26 fund.

Hayden said Rebecca was very much loved by her friends and family and he would like the fund to be able to do something in her memory.

"I just want people to know what a great girl she was."

For information on how to donate to the fund, use the PayPal Button on the right hand side or read the article below "In Memory of Rebecca, Forever to be 26 ".

Based on a story in the Marlborough Express, 9th January 2008.

Rebecca illustration kindly forwarded by Nicky Meadowcroft.

Forever 26 in Rebecca's memory

In his first interview since his wife Rebecca Stockwell (nee Crawley) was killed by a boat while on honeymoon in Fiji, Hayden Stockwell talked to RACHEL YOUNG of the Marlborough Express about his horrendous day.

Hayden and Rebecca had arrived on the island of Matamanoa, for their honeymoon the day before and spent their first day swimming, lying on the beach and walking.

The next morning they had breakfast and lay on the beach for an hour or so before going into the water.

Hayden said they had been in the water for about five minutes and were 15 metres from the shore in a dedicated swimming and snorkling area from which boats were barred, when a passing boat hit Rebecca.

The couple were taken to shore aboard the boat, helicoptered to the airport and then taken by ambulance to the hospital.

Hayden said Rebecca fought and was unconscious for about four hours before she died. "The week before, I told her I'd spend the rest of my life with her and six days later she's gone."

The morning of the accident, Hayden's wedding ring fell off in the water while he was swimming, but when he arrived back to New Zealand his brother-in-law had had a replica made.

Hayden said wearing the ring helped him feel like a part of Rebecca is still here.

After the accident, Hayden phoned his mother and asked her to phone family members and friends. He waited in Fiji with the resort manager until members of his family and Rebecca's family arrived.

Getting back here was hard. It was good to be back and have everyone around but it just made it more real."

Hayden stayed with his mother on his first night back and the next day he went back to the house he and Rebecca had shared.

"Walking through that front door was awful really."

He hasn't been able to face the pile of wedding presents that awaited him and has put them in the untouched bedroom. For now, he prefers to sleep on the couch.

Rebecca's dogs, which were her babies, were a comforting presence, he said.

He said the time in Fiji and immediately after was a blur and he had no idea how he coped, but he credits his family and friends and the support of the town as important.

Hayden first thought that he would never go back to Fiji, but said he may feel the need to on their anniversary.

He said he did not find it hard going out to Rebecca's grave but found it very hard to leave.
"She may just walk around the corner."

Hayden and Rebecca's parents, Heather Richards and Mark Crawley are setting up a fund to promote water safety and increase general safety awareness and in part to make accountable those who caused her death to occur.

The fund is called the Forever 26 fund.
One of the things Hayden would like to see changed after the accident is the enforcement of rules about boats and recreational swimming areas in Fiji resorts.

Hayden said helping do that would be a comfort to him.

Based on a story in the Marlborough Express, 8th January 2008.