The couple soon moved into a new home in Eskdale with their two children Archie, 4, and Olive, 2.
Bex Howie and Rory Aroa hold their children Olive and Archie after purchasing their home in Eskdale.
3 October 2025 NZME supplied
But, recently Aroa had been dealing with a bad back then lumps began appearing on his neck and shoulders.
Aroa went to an oncologist for scans when he suddenly had a seizure.
Rushed to the emergency room, his whānau learned that Aroa’s melanoma had spread across his body.
“As you can imagine, it was completely devastating and quite an out-of-body experience,” Howie said.
“Watching someone I love receive that news is something that will stay with me forever.”
Life stopped for a few weeks for the family after the diagnosis and Aroa was transported to Palmerston North for radiation treatment before heading back to Hawke’s Bay Hospital.
But on their son Archie’s fourth birthday, Aroa made it home and has been there ever since.
Howie said there are still hard days for Aroa, but since he has come home things have been a lot more positive.
“His pain and mobility are much better managed at the moment, which really helps with the mental health side of things.
“He’s a 33-year-old man who is used to being so fiercely independent and having a lot of that taken away from him so suddenly is a lot to cope with.
“But he’s a determined guy and has always excelled in achieving whatever he’s put his mind to and at the moment, that’s getting the most out of the treatments he’s on.”
Among those in Aroa’s corner is Chris Jarvis from Bay Espresso.
Jarvis worked with Howie when she returned to Hawke’s Bay, calling her an amazing human, and he was keen to help the whānau.
So, Jarvis decided to start Roast-a-thon for Rory, where he’ll be making coffee for 24 hours straight at the Bay Espresso Cafe on Ellison Rd in Hastings.
“I don’t even think I’ve gone out drinking and dancing for 24 hours, so this is a new experience,” Jarvis said.
“But we just wanted to raise awareness of what’s going on with a friend of ours.”
The Roast-a-thon for Rory will run from 10am Saturday October 11 to 10am Sunday October 12 and will feature coffee and food at pay what you like prices, with all proceeds going to help Aroa.
There is also a Givealittle page set up to help the family.
Jack Riddell is a multimedia journalist with Hawke’s Bay Today and has worked in radio and media in the UK, Germany, and New Zealand.