Family and friends of Todd Melhop are reeling after the Mosgiel man was killed in a car crash in South Canterbury on Friday.
Police confirmed the man who died when his car and a truck collided on State Highway 1, just south of Makikihi, about 3am on Friday was 29-year-old Todd Samuel Kevin Melhop.
Mr Melhop died at the scene. The truck driver was treated for minor injuries.
Mr Melhop had been living in Mosgiel after leaving Invercargill for work about two and a-half years ago.
A family spokeswoman said the family were heartbroken following the loss.
''Our Todd was a unique and intelligent, compassionate and generous guy with a quick wit, a wicked sense of humour and a strong faith in God,'' she said.
''Todd was deeply loved by his family and friends and we are all heartbroken that he is not with us anymore.
Mr Melhop was a heavy machinery service technician in the rural Otago region, where ''he was a well-respected colleague who took immense pride in his work and excelled in his trade'', she said.
A spokesman for the church Mr Melhop attended in Invercargill, Invercargill Central Baptist Church, said he was ''an authentic man, of few words but real integrity''.
''Todd has been a valued member of the Invercargill Central Baptist Church for seven and a-half years until work took him north,'' the church said.
''Todd was a regular attendee at our evening service and had a number of good friends in the young adults group.
''He helped with the youth leadership team and was a valued member of the worship team, where he played guitar in the night church band for a number of years.''
Mr Melhop had worked at farm equipment supplier Claas Harvest Centre in Allanton.
Centre managing director Steve Scoles said the company was grieving in the loss of their friend and co-worker.
''He was just such an easygoing guy,'' Mr Scoles said.
''He was easy to get on with. No-one ever upset him.
''He was such a nice, polite, caring guy,'' he said.
Mr Melhop had recently handed in his notice to take a break and figure out what he was going to do next in his life, he said.
He was looking at spending some time in Australia and had just returned from a holiday there when the crash occurred.
''He had such a great future,'' Mr Scoles said.
''He was a great kid.''
A service to celebrate Mr Melhop's life will be held at the Invercargill Central Baptist Church at 11am tomorrow.
