The family of a young driver is ‘‘shell-shocked'' and in ‘‘disbelief'' their son, brother, nephew and friend is dead.
Thomas David William Corbett (21), of Owaka Valley, died when his car ploughed into a grass bank on Owaka Valley Rd, about 6.40pm on Friday.
There were no other vehicles in the crash.
Mother Tracey Corbett found it tough speaking to the Otago Daily Times yesterday but, surrounded by family and friends, said Thomas was a caring, sensitive and loyal man who loved his family and friends.‘‘He was incredibly loyal,'' Ms Corbett said.
‘‘He's so loyal that he's still got this big teddy bear he got when he was born. He still keeps it in his room.''
He was a keen hunter who loved water sports and singing and adored his baby niece, Ms Corbett said. He had taken a job as a farm assistant near Owaka and had always wanted to be a farmer.
Mr Corbett's father, Wayne Marsh, said he was ‘‘just an awesome kid ... with a heart of gold''.
‘‘He would help anyone, it didn't matter who it was,'' Mr Marsh said.
‘‘It's just a lot of disbelief [Thomas is gone].‘‘It's a hell of a rocky road now really.''
The former Kaikorai Valley College pupil moved to Owaka Valley two years ago where he ‘‘was in his element''.
‘‘All we would hear about was the farm or the hunting,'' Mr Marsh said.
Mr Corbett had two brothers, Caleb Corbett-Marsh (15) and William Corbett-Marsh, who turned 12 yesterday.‘‘I thought Dad was having me on,'' Caleb said, when his father broke the news of his brother's death.
‘‘The [emotion] just rushed through me. Just being so close to Christmas. I was just shell-shocked. He was just one in a million.''
Mr Corbett's best friend, Nathaniel McGregor, who moved to South Otago to be close to his mate, and had been a friend ‘‘since kindy'', said Mr Corbett was cheeky, confident and a hit with the girls.
‘‘He would do anything for you. If you couldn't find a way, he would find a way,'' Mr McGregor said. ‘‘[I'll] just cherish the memories.''
The family members had heard differing accounts of what caused the fatal crash, including over-correcting on a corner, but the police had not confirmed anything.
The New Zealand Army, where Mr Corbett had a six-week stint in the Limited Service Volunteer programme, sent its sympathies.
A service for Mr Corbett will be held at Hope and Sons, in Dunedin, on Thursday at 12.30pm.
