The father and son’s deaths have prompted an outpouring of tributes across social media, particularly from the rotary car community.
Former partner Melissa Goffin shared an 11-month-old son, Miles, with Kavanaugh.
She told the Bay of Plenty Times they had recently separated but remained close.
“Miles lost both of them right before his first birthday …”
She described Kavanaugh as an “amazing man” who always put others before himself and never lost sight of what mattered most.
His children were “his world”, Goffin said.
“He had so much love to give and loved my daughters, our son and myself dearly …
“I just want them to wake up so I can have more moments with them,” Goffin said.
Kavanaugh had “hard times” throughout his life, but she said he “never let that bring him down”.
“The world has lost an amazing loving person and our worlds are now empty.”
She described Kavanaugh as “a Red Bull man” who “loved the rotary-life car scenes”.
Former partner Melissa Goffin (left) says Mike Kavanaugh’s children were his world. Their son, Miles, pictured as a 2-month-old baby, is now 11 months old.
Known for his photography brand Rolling Addiction and his custom miniature-scale car replicas, he built friendships with enthusiasts throughout New Zealand.
Online tributes described his work as “unreal”, remembered him as a “brilliant father” and a “legend” and said they would miss seeing him at car meets.
Others shared memories of Phoenix, recalling how he “loved sitting in all the cars”. One comment said he was becoming “such a great kid” and was already developing some “serious photography skills”.
Josh Garvitch met Kavanaugh about a decade ago through their shared passion for photography and motorsport.
The pair quickly became “fast friends”, Garvitch said.
Kavanaugh was “incredibly well known and well liked” throughout the car community.
“Mike was the kind of person who was already there and always ready to get in and help anyone and everyone …
“Mike was a great dad and always had his son Phoenix by his side at any opportunity,” Garvitch said.
One of Garvitch’s favourite memories was Kavanaugh photographing his wedding reception.
Rather than charging for the job, Kavanaugh offered to do it in exchange for a meal and a box of beers.
“That is one of my dearest memories of him and who he was,” Garvitch said.
A photograph Kavanaugh gifted to Garvitch of his favourite drifter still hung “proudly” on his wall.
Friends and family will gather at Baypark Arena on Friday to farewell Mike and Phoenix at 1pm.
For those wishing to pay their respects, there will be visitation between 1pm and 4pm on Thursday at Elliotts Chapel on Cameron, 414 Cameron Rd, Tauranga (entry on 8th Avenue), a funeral notice for the pair said.
Annabel Reid is a multimedia journalist for the Bay of Plenty Times and the Rotorua Daily Post, based in Rotorua. Originally from Hawke’s Bay, she has a Bachelor of Communications from the University of Canterbury.