kathy.rowan

There was a bit of a hiccup getting Hayden home. The funeral director had confirmed with the airline that Hayden was on the plane from London, and drove up to Auckland to meet the plane and no Hayden - they had missed putting Hayden on the connection at London and arrived about 15 hours later. We weren't able to view Hayden but did go and see the coffin and I put some photos on top of him skydiving, with the Moshi orphanage children who he adored, and a lovely face one of him smiling. He had a wonderful smile - nice memory. We had Hayden's funeral yesterday with a very big turnout and it was a lovely tribute to Hayden. Some of Hayden's friends who had attended the School of Graphic Design (his career as a motion graphic designer before skydiving) with Hayden put together a wonderful video of his first and some other jumps. I might see if his friends can put it on skydivingmovies.com. It was of course a very emotional day and very hard to believe I will never see my wonderful son again or Mike his brother and mate. Mike, as well as now pursuing his own skydiving dream, will also be carrying on Hayden's dream.

I would be happy to have a 'mum to mum talk' !!

Re logbook - thanks - Michael would treasure it - will pass it on to him. As for laptop - I understand!! Will let Mike go through it first. May be things on there a mother shouldn't see!! Cheers

Thanks for that feedback - great to hear from someone that jumped at Moshi and met Hayden - he loved meeting new people and glad he helped make it a memorial jump.

Yes unfortunately locals had got to the plane and taken Hayden's helmet, video camera, still camera and his altimeter off his wrist, the plane's GPS system and a bag of the pilots - they are a very poor country and opportunists - anything that has any value they will take. Nice people but.... I have just emailed Hayden's boss to see if we can offer a reward to get any of the gear back - Michael, Hayden's brother, would like them back for sentimental value, even if they were damaged in the crash. So would I.

Michael is adamant he wants to scatter the ashes as a solo jumper so I think it is now very important to put Michael's wishes first as he has been hit very hard by this. They were so close and he was excited by doing the course and the possibility of Hayden returning to do the advance course at the same time. So we will either wait until Hayden's anniversary or if I find the waiting too difficult, go with the 100 solo jumps for Michael and I may just be able to go up in the plane, but not jump. I will definitely get a video and will post it on skydivingmovies.com. Thank you very much for the offer of making any unedited videos into a montage. Hayden did a computer graphic design course before his 'change of career'. He has some wonderful mates who are making a slide show and video for the funeral. Your offer is fantastic. I know they would also love to do anything like that as well. I am trying to get his lap top and portable hard-drive returned safely as very precious now. Unfortunately the plane was stripped before the police got there and Hayden's helmet, video camera, still camera and his altimeter were all taken. Although they may not have been in any condition to work, it would have been nice to have them back. The company has got his parachute though. And I have asked for his logbook which will be included in his own ashes. Having done three jumps myself and experiencing the exhiliaration and adrenilin rush and seeing how happy and passionate Hayden was about the sport I am still happy to encourage Michael to follow his dreams. You can't wrap your children in cotton wool:)

Thanks for all that information. Yes I am sure I want to jump at the same time so does sound a good option to wait until Michael has completed his 200 hours. Is it a possibility for both Michael and I do tandems jumps, with other jumpers who may have done the course with Hayden and Michael still scatter the ashes. The 1 year memorial is a good idea but I feel like I need to put him to rest and don't know if I could wait a year. I am moving down to Darfield after the funeral, which is half an hour from Methven so will visit the skydive school to talk about the best options. Thank you for your feedback. Appreciate it and your ideas.

Thank you for the suggestion of waiting for Michael to have done 100 odd jumps before scattering Hayden's ashes. It will be a very emotional time for him on the course. I have also been thinking of doing a tandem on the day and trying to get it filmed. Before I left Moshi Hayden had encouraged me to do a solo at Methven to two instructors each side of me - not sure of that now - might stick to another tandem during the Ash Dive.

Thanks Jeff - I do remember meeting you and thank you for your friendship with Hayden.

Hayden was tragically killed in Moshi, Tanzania on 13 February 2007 when the plane crashed a few minutes after take off. Hayden was 25 years old. He was raised in Wanganui,New Zealand did a computer graphic design course and worked in Wellington for I think about 3 years before decided to do a skydive course in Methven New Zealand. The course started April 2007 and he decided to do his work experience in Moshi Tanzania. He went over there in September 2007 and became a permanent employee. He loved Skydiving. It was his passion and was loving he lifestyle in Moshi. Hayden was a very charismatic person, loved people and loved life. He was known in Moshi by the locals as "skydive" - if they saw him walking down the street they would call out "Hey Skydive" and rush over to talk to him and he always had time for them. He had great dreams for the future - considering doing another skydive course back in New Zealand and would have qualified as an instructor/tandem master at the end of it. Hayden's brother Michael is enrolled to do the initial skydive course beginning April this year and they would have been at the same skydive school together. Michael and Hayden were very close. Hayden on a trip to Zanzibar was also talking about how great it would be to open a skydive company on Zanzibar - another of his dreams. I am Hayden's mother Kathy. I initially did a skydive a few years ago and brought skydive vouchers for Hayden and Michael for Christmas as they were both very keen to do a jump. They used their vouchers for Michael's 21st weekend in Taupo and I did my second jump with them and some of Michael's friends. I did my third jump while visiting Hayden in Moshi for 10 days in January and Hayden filmed the jump. I have some wonderful photos of him skydiving in New Zealand and Moshi and the video he made of my jump. BSBD Hayden 'Nothing beautiful in this world is ever really lost. All things beloved live on in our hearts.. forever.' Love you Hayden. You will always have a special place in my heart and all our family. So sad to lose you far too soon.