Carl Whiten died from brain cancer on March 20, leaving behind wife Beth and two young children, Zac, 3, and 10-month-old Phoebe.
More than $44,000 was raised by the firefighting community to help send Whiten to Germany for specialised immunotherapy treatment.
He was a firefighter at several Christchurch stations since starting his career in 2018.
Whiten helped evacuated residents retrieve property from their homes during the Port Hills fires in February last year and fought the Ravensdown factory fire in 2018.
“He had this sense of adventure and could make anyone laugh,” she said.
Beth is thankful for the “incredible” financial and emotional support from the Christchurch firefighting community.
“A lot of people came out of the woodwork to help us but the firefighters have been huge in their help,” said Beth.
The firefighting community has felt the loss deeply, said Hutton, with many attending Whiten’s funeral on March 27.
“A lot of the time, you’re basically living at the station together. So you get to know each other really well,” Hutton said.
Whiten was the son of long-serving retired senior station officer Ralph Whiten.
“There was this ridiculous optimism within him. He was so courageous through everything that was thrown his way,” said Beth.
He would spend the next two-and-a-half years in chemotherapy, while intermittently visiting Germany for treatment every few months.
“It was a lot for the family emotionally, physically, financially, but we had to throw the whole kitchen sink at it,” said Beth.
Then in November last year, Whiten and Beth received the news he had a grade four glioblastoma.
The cancer was inoperable and highly aggressive, reducing Whiten’s life expectancy to a matter of months.
“It was a big shock. It happened faster than we ever expected,” said Beth.
- In memory of Whiten, his family is appealing for donations to Brain Tumour Support NZ at braintumoursupport.org.nz
