'No teenager should have to bury her best friend'

Tamlyn Stewart | 28th July 2010

Kristi-Rae Ruri-Gardiner would send 101 texts to her mother telling her she loved her. It's those texts her mother will miss most.

The 18-year-old Rotorua Girls' High School student was farewelled by more than 1000 people at her funeral at the Rotorua Girls' High School Arena yesterday.

Kristi was taken off life support at Waikato Hospital on Friday and passed away just after 8pm, surrounded by family and friends - the day after the vehicle she and four friends were travelling in collided with a Toyota Hilux utility.

A visibly upset Karen Gardiner said family had always meant everything to her daughter: "Kristi's brothers were her rock."

She said Kristi was "a bit of a tomboy" and was never really into girly things, enjoying things like skateboarding. At 6 weeks old she was in the water and by the age of 3 she was swimming lengths of a pool.

Kristi was a loving person who cared for her family and friends and was always there for them, Miss Gardiner said.

"Kristi never stopped. She'd get up in the middle of the night because a friend needed to talk or needed a ride.

"The thing I'm going to miss the most is her 101 texts telling me she loved me.

"I will miss her with all my heart.

"I love you my baby girl.

"I will always be looking for your texts on my phone," Miss Gardiner said.

One of Kristi's best friends, Lavinia Marra, described Kristi as "a ray of sunshine", "a kind-hearted and caring person loved and adored by students and staff at the school".

"We shared everything. No teenage girl should have to bury their best friend," Lavinia said.

Two of Kristi's brothers stood up to speak, their arms around each other and visibly emotional.

"To our baby sister, we love you so much," they said.

A friend said Kristi was highly respected and many looked up to her.

"Our once perfect and completed puzzle now has a missing piece that will never be replaced," she said.

"Every day Kristi would let us know how much she loved us and how she always had our back."

Another friend stood up and said, "I know Kristi would've got up in front of my whole school and said something for me.

"Kristi was always there for me. If I gave her a text, she'd send one back.

"If I needed a ride, she'd hook me up. Kristi was my best friend, there was no one like her.

"I only knew Kristi for a little amount of time but she made such a difference in my life. I miss you Kristi."

Messages adorned Kristi's white casket and as it was driven away, schoolmates and teachers lined the driveway and released balloons into the air.

Tui Martin, who was badly injured in last week's crash, remains in critical condition at Waikato Hospital. Cheyenne Grace and Bobby-Leigh Morrison remain in Rotorua Hospital but are expected to be discharged this week and Adrianne Martin-Ohlsen was discharged last Friday.