As mourners start arriving from New Zealand, Ewan and Fenny Smith are preparing for one of the darkest days of their lives when they bury their treasured youngest son, Teariki, this Friday beside his sister, Niki, in a memorial garden on the family's Arorangi property.
Niki was 14 when she was struck by a motorbike while walking home from school in 2003.
Teariki was travelling home from a soccer game last Friday afternoon on his motorbike when he collided with an oncoming vehicle during an overtaking manoeuvre.
Mr Smith, the managing director of the country's national airline, told the New Zealand Herald the family was devastated by the sudden death and steeling themselves for another long and painful period of mourning.
"We lost our teenage daughter 12 years ago and it is a repeat of a horror story in our lives unfortunately.
"I have to say on Friday night, when this happened, we sat in a near-catatonic state, incredulous we were heading back into this awful, awful state."
Mr Smith said his son, who had just completed his first year at university, was a keen sportsman who was popular among his peers at secondary school King's College in Auckland.
In his final year, he was made a house prefect and was a valued member of the college chapel.
"Everyone loved T. He was a beautiful boy, lots of fun and wonderful sense of humour. He knew right from wrong, good from bad. I don't think I ever had a cross word with him in his whole life," Mr Smith said.
He said his son was also involved in the school's kapa haka group, played in the school's second XV and represented the college at golf.
He had arrived back on the island after finishing university exams to join the family for Christmas.
Now his body was being brought back to the family home tonight, ahead of tomorrow's church funeral service.
His three remaining older brothers who are based in Australia, New Zealand and France, have returned to Rarotonga.
"We'll have a family service, there'll be a lot of eulogies and lot of crying and cups of teas," said Mr Smith.
The funeral will take place at the Arorangi Cook Island Christian Church before Teariki is buried beside his sister in the family's memorial garden.
Mr Smith said school friends had started arriving at the island to farewell their son and the family were taking heart from the community support.
King's College chaplain Warner Wilder said the death had stunned all those who knew the much-loved former pupil.
"He was a lovely, warm, generous young man. All his mates from school, they're really shattered."
A memorial service for Teariki is being held at the chapel on Friday at 12.30pm for those who can not travel to Rarotonga.
- By Lynley Bilby of the New Zealand Herald
