That is how it has been for Melissa Vining as a flood of former All Blacks have phoned wanting to participate in Pack the Park 2020.
Her husband, cancer care advocate Blair Vining, died of the disease in October last year.
The 39-year-old spent a large portion of his final 12 months campaigning for better care and the Southland and Otago community rallied behind the cause.
To pay tribute to that community, and to mark the first anniversary of Blair’s death, the Southland Charity Hospital will bring Pack the Park to Rugby Park in Invercargill on October 17.
The squads were announced yesterday and it is a talented line-up. Unlikely 2011 Rugby World Cup hero Stephen Donald has been joined by the likes of Ma’a Nonu, Ali Williams, Mils Muliaina and Carlos Spencer.
"It is very bittersweet," Melissa Vining said.
"Every time one of the former All Blacks has called to say they will come and help us out I feel really excited and you just want to tell Blair.
"And then he is not there, but I couldn’t think of a better way to mark his anniversary."
"It is just incredible the calibre of people who are coming. But there will be the big space in our hearts because Blair is not there to see it."
Sir Graham Henry will help coach the Blair Vining Invitational XV and boxer Joseph Parker has been roped as an assistant coach for the ITM Invitational XV.
Further players will be revealed during the coming weeks through a guess who social media campaign.
Pack the Park will be followed by a gala dinner at the Bill Richardson Transport World.
Despite the threat of Covid-19, Vining is confident the event can go ahead as planned.
She is confident the South Island will have dropped to Alert Level 1 by then.
"But keeping people healthy is the top priority and if there was risk to the community we would definitely postpone the event."
Pack the Park will be the curtain-raiser to the Mitre 10 Cup fixture between Southland and Taranaki.
General admission to the terraces is free.
