Battling to survive the storms brought on by Cyclone Gabrielle, parents Ella and Jack Collins managed to escape with their four-year-old daughter Imogen when water rose 10cm below their roof, but they tragically lost their daughter Ivy, that was dragged
His body was later found by a search and rescue team.
Mrs. Collins sent Stuff a tribute to their "beautiful girl" Ivy, describing the "insurmountable mountain" they are now dealing with after losing everything when a violent wall of water took their son, their home, and their livelihood.
Despite her grief, Ms. Collins shared how everyone who knew Ivy was in awe of her ability to communicate far beyond her years and her deep empathy and compassion.
"She had a great sense of humor, was very creative and determined to overcome obstacles," she said.
Scruffy teddy bear buried in mud by Cyclone Gabrielle
Ivy โwent through life with a beautiful smile on her face, regardless of what got in her way,โ Mrs. Collins said, and did it all with her mother and older sister, while her father worked.
"We weren't rich at all, but we lived through such rich and loving days."
Mrs. Collins said that Ivy and Imogen meant everything to her and her husband.
The loss of Ivy would "deeply" affect them and many others forever, he said.
"Right now it seems like an insurmountable mountain, but we have each other: my husband Jack, our daughter Imogen, our baby due in August, and our families, friends and community. We all have each other.
"This tragedy has cost us everything; our house and everything in it. With the water level 10cm from the ceiling, everything has been completely destroyed, our section and our amazing lovingly tended edible garden... nothing is salvageable But none of that loss even compares to the loss of our beautiful girl."
In a Facebook post on Thursday night, Ms Collins said the accident was unavoidable and that Ivy died "very quickly".
"Jack is the only reason he and I and Imogen and our neighbors survived. He's literally a f------hero and one day I'll tell you all about what he's done."
Ivy was now with the coroner and a small celebration of her life was to be held in Napier next week, he said.
"Please give us time as we ground ourselves and navigate through this impossible time."
Friend Hayley McMaster hosted an online fundraiser for the Collins family on Thursday night, which has already raised over $NZ100,000 ($91,000).
"Your love for your kids is next level, even taking them out of daycare so you can teach and love them even more," McMaster says on the page.
"There are no words to express how sad we are at the loss of her beautiful two-year-old Ivy, who was separated from her family by the recent cyclone in New Zealand."
McMaster said Ms Collins was pregnant with her third child, due in August, and said the family would have no income as her husband's job was now "on hold" indefinitely.
The couple often post on social media about their efforts to grow vegetables and develop their quarter-acre section. They describe themselves as "a couple of kids, a couple of ordinary dogs", your typical Kiwi family.
A neighbor said she heard Ivy was found not far from her home shortly after she was dragged away.
The tight-knit local community would rally around family, they said.
Friends paid tribute to the family on social media, with one saying it's "just not fair."
"She and Jack and Imogen have lost absolutely everything."
Full statement from Ella Collins to Stuff
Our little Ivy was such a bright light that everyone who knew her was in awe of her ability to communicate well beyond her years; His exceptional vocabulary from her coupled with a deep empathy and compassion, and a thirst for knowledge from her led to days filled with great conversation! She had a great sense of humor, was highly creative, and was determined to overcome all obstacles (even if it sometimes required lots of velociraptors squealing in frustration!)
Ivy charged through life with a beautiful smile on her face no matter what got in her way.
She has lived her life mostly at home full time with me and her older sister Imogen (4). We did everything together, all day every day while dad worked hard for us, so we could be together.
We were not rich at all, but we lived such rich and love-filled days.
Our children are our life. We pride ourselves on our complete devotion to our babies, and this loss of Ivy will deeply affect us and many others forever. Right now it seems like an impassable mountain, but we have each other; my husband Jack, our daughter Imogen, our baby due in August and our families, friends and community. We ALL have each other.
This tragedy has cost us everything; our house and everything in it, with the water level 10 cm from the ceiling, everything has been completely destroyed, our section and our amazing lovingly tended edible garden... nothing is salvageable. But none of that loss even comes close to the loss of our beautiful baby girl.
