By Annemarie Quill of 
Photo: Supplied / Stuff
Loving father Reon Wikeepa drowned while saving the life of his 16-year-old daughter.
A man who leapt in the water to save his daughter and got caught in a rip might have survived if a flotation device was near.
While his final moment "cuts deep" for whānau, they are proud his legacy will be the installation of life-saving equipment along Aotearoa's coastline.
Bay of Plenty father Reon Wikeepa, 43, drowned at Moturiki Island, Mount Maunganui, in November 2022 when he lost his battle with the waves after saving his then 16-year-old daughter, Abigail.
A coroner's report said he would have had a greater chance of survival if those attempting to rescue him had ready access to a flotation device.
It has led to their installation at the site of his death and prompted a review by Surf Life Saving New Zealand and Tauranga City Council of public rescue equipment.
In addition, Coroner Ian Telford urged this be extended throughout Aotearoa.
"It is beyond obvious that the risks discussed in these findings are not restricted to the Tauranga district; our narrow Land of the Long White Cloud is, after all, surrounded by water ... I have directed that these findings are distributed to the chief executives of all councils of New Zealand."
Reon Wikeepa drowned off the rocks of Moturiki Island. His whānau are proud of the "positive" outcome of his death being more public rescue devices along the coastline. Photo: Supplied / Stuff
In December, SLSNZ launched New Zealand's first ever Guide to Public Rescue Equipment for the New Zealand Coast.
Adam Wooler, its head of coastal safety and research, said this provides land managers with sufficient information to enable them to set up effective and consistent PRE systems on their coastline.
"SLSNZ believes our coast will become safer as more land managers adopt these measures in conjunction with other control measures available, including education, signage, and surf lifeguard services."
Making the country's coastlines a safer place has been a comfort to Wikeepa's family.
"The flotation devices that will be installed all along our coastline and will inevitably save many lives throughout New Zealand is what we are most proud of about my brother's legacy," Wikeepa's sister, Nikki Tuhakaraina, told Stuff.
"Don't get me wrong, at times we all go back to his final moments, and it cuts deep, but something our whānau prides itself on is our incredible closeness and strong bonds and that will always remain regardless of our losses," she said.
Whānau of Reon Wikeepa at Moturiki Island say they are proud of their brother's legacy of the life-saving flotation devices that will be installed along Aotearoa's coastline. Photo: Supplied / Stuff
A warning sign has now been installed at the entrance to Moturiki Island about the risk of swimming off the island.
Swimmers have access to three newly installed life-rings, with one at the popular rock jumping spot where Wikeepa had his final swim back in 2022.
On that day, Abigail had jumped off the rocks first, but the waves were high, and she experienced difficulty getting out of the water, the coroner's report said.
Her father jumped into the water and helped her climb back onto the rocks but was washed back out by the waves. Wikeepa's son jumped in the water to help him but experienced similar difficulties.
Surf lifesavers arrived and Wikeepa was retrieved from the water, but despite considerable resuscitation attempts by lifesavers and paramedics, he could not be revived.
During 2022/2023, the Bay of Plenty region had an increase in beach and coastal drowning fatalities, with five deaths.
This number is greater than the 10-year average of three fatalities per year, Adam Wooler told Stuff.
Between 2013 and 2023, a total of 35 fatal drownings occurred in the Bay of Plenty region: 91 percent of those who drowned were male, 9 percent were female. The key demographic was 55-64 year old males, and the most common activity associated with these incidents was swimming and wading, Wooler said.
The new Guide to Public Rescue Equipment for the New Zealand Coast, coupled with the coroner's report on Wikeepa being sent to all council bosses as a "gold standard" approach, will mean more people make it home to their families.
This provides great comfort to Wikeepa's whānau, says his sister.
"We miss him every second of the day. Our lives are forever changed. But he is our hero and his memory will live on."
This story was first published by Stuff.
