The mother of a two-year-old New Zealand girl swept away in a torrent of water says her daughter was a bright shining light who charged through life, regardless of what stood in her way.
In the battle to survive storms brought about by Cyclone Gabrielle, parents Ella and Jack Collins managed to escape with daughter Imogen, four, as the water rose to 10cm below the ceiling but tragically lost their daughter Ivy, who was swept away.
Her body was later found by a search and rescue team.
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Mrs Collins sent Stuff a tribute to her "beautiful baby girl" Ivy, describing the "insurmountable mountain" they are now dealing with after they lost everything when a wall of violent water took their child, their home and their livelihood.
Despite her grief, Mrs Collins shared how everyone who met Ivy was astounded by her ability to communicate well beyond her years and her deep empathy and compassion.
"She had a great sense of humour, was very creative and determined to overcome obstacles," she said.
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Ivy "charged through life with a beautiful smile on her face regardless of what stood in her way", Mrs Collins said, and did everything with her mum and big sister, while dad worked.
"We were not wealthy at all, but we lived such rich and love-filled days."
Mrs Collins said Ivy and Imogen were everything to her and her husband.
Ivy's loss would "deeply" affect them and many others forever, she said.
"Right now it seems 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.
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"This tragedy has cost us everything; our home and everything in it. With the water level 10cm from the ceiling everything has been utterly destroyed, our section and our incredible lovingly tendered edible garden... nothing is salvageable. But none of that loss compares even close to the loss of our beautiful baby girl."
In a Facebook post on Thursday night, Mrs Collins said the accident was unavoidable and Ivy died "very quickly".
"Jack is the only reason that he, myself, Imogen and our neighbours survived. He is a literal f------ hero and one day I will tell you all what he's done."
Ivy was now with the coroner and a small celebration of her life would take place in Napier next week, she said.
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"Please give us time while we ground ourselves and navigate this impossible time."
Friend Hayley McMaster set up 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 to be able to teach and love on them even more," McMaster says on the page.
"No words can say how saddened we feel about the loss of your beautiful little two-year-old Ivy, who was ripped apart from your family in the recent cyclone in New Zealand."
McMaster said Mrs Collins was pregnant with her third child, due in August, and said the family would have no income as her husband's work was now "on hold" indefinitely.
The couple often post publicly on social media about their efforts to grow vegetables and develop their quarter acre section. They describe themselves as "a run-of-the-mill, couple kids, couple dogs", typical Kiwi family.
A neighbour said they heard Ivy was found not far from home not long after she was swept away.
The tight-knit local community would rally around the family, they said.
Friends paid tribute to the family on social media, with one saying it "just isn't fair".
"Ella, Jack and Imogen have lost absolutely everything."
Another woman wrote: "This is a loving and giving community we live in and Ella and her family are a blessing to know and deserve countless blessings in return. Nothing can prepare for such a tragedy".
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Ella Collins' full statement to Stuff
Our wee Ivy was such a bright shining light, everyone that met her was astounded by her ability to communicate well beyond her years; her exceptional vocabulary coupled with deep empathy and compassion, and a thirst for knowledge led to days filled with excellent conversation! She had a great sense of humour, was very creative and determined to overcome all obstacles (even if sometimes that took a lot of velociraptor screeching in frustration!)
Ivy charged through life with a beautiful smile on her face regardless of what stood in her way.
She has lived her life primarily at home full time with me and her big sister Imogen (4). We did everything together, all day every day while daddy worked hard for us, so we could be together.
We were not wealthy at all, but we lived such rich and love filled days.
Our children are our life. We take pride in our complete devotion to our babies, and this loss of Ivy will deeply impact ourselves and many others forever. Right now it seems 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 home and everything in it, with the water level 10cm from the ceiling everything has been utterly destroyed, our section and our incredible lovingly tendered edible garden... nothing is salvageable. But none of that loss compares even close to the loss of our beautiful baby girl.
This story first appeared on Stuff and is republished with permission.
