“She was always so happy, she never got angry and was always caring her for little brother. Their bond was deep and unique, and the gap she leaves in his life is profound.
“One moment, she was here… laughing, talking, living her life… and the next, she was gone. Our world didn’t just change, it shattered.”
Four others were injured in the three-vehicle crash at the intersection of Te Irirangi Drive and Smales Rd on March 15, when a car travelling at speed smashed into a line of cars waiting for a green light.
Linda’s family gathered for an intimate service in Mt Wellington a few days later, to celebrate Linda’s short but happy life.
The crash happened at the intersection of Te Irirangi Drive and Smales Rd in Auckland’s East Tāmaki. Photo / Hayden Woodward
Family members requested those attending wear pink in remembrance of “our happy [girl] who was always dressed like a princess”, said a Facebook post.
The schoolgirl’s grieving parents have also thanked the community for their “overwhelming” support, prayer and generosity as they navigate life without their daughter.
Tulumi told the Herald it was not the first time his family has had to navigate loss, after his wife devastatingly delivered a stillborn child last year.
“Our son has been left without both his sisters now… they’ve both been taken from us.”
A Givealittle page has been set up to cover the costs of funeral arrangements and to help with repair of the family vehicle that was badly damaged in the crash.
Tulumi said he suffered cuts to his hand that required stitches, while his wife Loata had bruises caused by her seatbelt.
He told the Herald their 2-year-old son Tui, known as TJ, has been most heavily impacted.
“We [Zera and Loata] are both doing okay and my hand’s healed now, but my son is looking around for his sister.
“He hasn’t just lost a sibling, he’s lost his only living sister, his big sister, who meant the world to him.”
Linda Tulumi and her two-year-old brother Tui, known as TJ. Photo / Supplied
Glen Innes School held a “solemn” assembly in Linda’s memory.
“The passage from Matthew 5:48, “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted” provides solace to the family.
“We express gratitude for the communal support during this difficult time.”
Manukau ward councillor Lotu Fuli told the Herald she doesn’t know the family personally but is “really feeling for them”.
“My heart goes out to the whānau, and I offer them my sincere condolences for the loss of their dearly loved daughter.
“There are not enough words to console or comfort the family and I offer them my sincere sympathy.
“RIL Linda.”
Fuli said serious road-related injuries are disproportionately high in areas where people reply on cars for travel and have fewer transport choices.
The fatal crash was at the intersection of Te Irirangi Drive and Smales Rd in East Auckland. Photo / Google Maps
“The loss of even one life is not acceptable.
“Ōtara-Papatoetoe local boards have advocated for much more traffic-calming and speed-reduction initiatives in the area, including raised crossings and signage near schools.”
Tulumi told the Herald the night they lost her will “replay” in their minds “forever”.
“All we have now are memories and they are not enough. We miss her voice. We miss her presence. We miss her, every second of every day.
“Please, every time you get behind the wheel, understand this: one reckless decision can take a child’s life and leave a family broken forever. Drive like a life depends on it. Because it does.”
A witness to the crash claims the car and driver responsible “flew in the air at speed” before hitting a vehicle stopped at a traffic light.
The person, who wished to remain anonymous, said the car she was a passenger in was approaching the traffic light when she saw a flash come through from the right and hit the car in front side-on.
“It pushed it all the way to our left and it hit another car along the way.
“It just happened all so fast and it was so loud and the glass just flew everywhere.”
Police investigations into the person responsible for the crash are ongoing.