Cousins' crash deaths prompt efforts to help save lives

Otago Daily Times

6 days ago

After his two young cousins were killed in a car crash, Rob Fleming was motivated to help save lives.
Fleming is a Hato Hone St John volunteer first responder and volunteer firefighter in Leeston.
He also teaches young people who have driving offences through The Right Track programme.
Fleming's volunteer work earned him the inspirational role model award at St John's Time to Shine Awards.
'It came as a big surprise, big shock.'
Fleming's cousins Tayla Alexander, 17, and her sister Sunmara, 15, both died after a crash on Christchurch's Summit Rd on November 27, 2019.
Tayla was thrown out of the car and died, while Sunmara suffered extensive burns after the fuel tank ruptured and died in hospital on December 13 – her 16th birthday.
Fleming was dropping a patient off at Christchurch Hospital as Sunmara was about to be transported to the burns unit at Auckland Hospital.
'That's an image I will never forget,' Fleming said.
The driver Levi Phillip Fiddymont was sentenced in 2022 to two years and four months in prison on two charges of dangerous driving causing the deaths.
The crash was a major factor in Fleming volunteering his time to The Right Track programme about two years ago.
"There had to be something out there that I could lend my experience to and hopefully cause some change,' Fleming said.
The programme takes young people who are appearing before the courts and teaches them about the impact of their decisions before they appear for sentencing.
'They see the ambulance, but they don't see what's behind the ambulance.
'They get to know about what happens at the little, small town level with us volunteers.
"You actually physically see someone go: 'Oh, wow',' Fleming said.
He joined the Rakaia Volunteer Fire Brigade in 2005 and, in 2011, became involved in St John's cadet programme after his son William joined.
"He and one of his friends decided they wanted to try the cadets. So I went down and about the third night there, the leader tapped me on the shoulder and said: 'Instead of just sitting there, how about joining?''
Fleming was involved with the cadets for a few years and stopped after his son finished.
William is now also a first responder at St John.
Fleming moved to Leeston in 2018, shifting to the Leeston Volunteer Fire Brigade and volunteering at Leeston St John as a first responder.
Fleming was inspired by his uncles, Noel Thian and Ray Wasley, who were former chiefs of the Leeston brigade.
​'They really instilled the whole ethos of volunteering, and it stuck with me.'
When not volunteering, Fleming works as a pest controller.
'Luckily, I've got a very understanding wife (Kathryn) and a good support network.'