Finau Mary McKenzie was eagerly waiting to meet her “special” son in Nadi when she got the tragic news that he had been swept away by flood waters.

His body was found yesterday  in the Wainibuka River Naqia Viilage village in Tailevu.

Gervis McKenzie Wara, 19, was crossing a flooded tributary further upstream, at Nakorovou Bridge in Nalawa, Ra, when tragedy struck.

Mr Wara, described by Ms McKen­zie as her special son who was lov­ing, kind with a quiet dignity

“My son was someone who was always quiet. He was the middle child of three children. When my children were small, their father left us and while growing up they faced a lot of difficulties. I always take them with me wherever I go,” Ms McKenzie said.

“He is someone who would always smiles and when you see him smile you will not know the hardship he faced while growing up. Despite coming from a broken family, he never talks about his problems with others because he did not want oth­ers to pity him.

“He was a Year 12 student at RKS in 2020 and when the lockdown hap­pened, he told me it was better to go and farm rather than staying home and wasting time.

“He was supposed to go to Vanua Levu, but his dad wanted him to go to his village where he drowned.”

Ms McKenzie said her son was someone who always put God first despite the hardship he faced.

“One thing I have learned from my son is that he was someone who prayed a lot. He never missed his prayer time, and he cherished his alone time with God.

“There was a time when he was a class two student, we attended a service in Vuci and during the altar call he was the first one to walk up and he knelt and prayed with tears flowing from his eyes. He cried his heart out and when I saw him, I cried because he took his problems to God and not to any of us.

“I miss my son. I would give up on anything just to be able to talk to him one more time and to hug him and tell him how much I love him.

“Every time he goes to Vanua Levu to plant yaqona I always remind him of the importance of education, and he always told me not to worry and that he will plant yaqona and pay his school fees and will look after me.

“He told me that once his yaqona plant matures, he would buy a car. He had big dreams and now he will not be able to fulfil any of them. I miss him so much.

“I have not eaten since the day he drowned and when I was told that he was found this morning I was finally at peace.”

Police spokesperson Ana Naisoro confirmed that his body was recovered yesterday near Naqia.

He was one of three deaths linked to the floods.

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