Touching tributes to passionate kayaker
Family and friends have paid tribute to a "special, unique and irreplaceable" 24-year-old man, who died while kayaking on a West Coast river late last month.
University of Otago graduate Jeremy Norbury, originally from Alexandra, lived in Queenstown, where he worked as a geologist for Geosolve Engineering consultants.
But it was for his adventurous spirit, humour and infectious energy he will be remembered most.
Childhood friend Sam McCulloch says Jeremy's teen years were spent "racing slalom kayaks, kayaking off waterfalls, pushing the limits on apparel wearing, mountain biking, adventure racing, fending off the Rees girls, coaching, leaping off rocks, rattling off speeches centred around his hilarious take on the Fairlie Bakehouse & 100kph high fiving out of car windows".
Kayaking was his absolute passion, which he pursued with a laser focus, competing in slalom and freestyle through his high school years, and representing NZ at the Freestyle World Championships.
He attended the World Class Kayak Academy, a travelling high school for teens, visiting Eastern Canada, Pacific Northwest and Mexico.
"During this time, Jerm ticked off an array of the world's best kayaking rivers before many of his friends kayaked outside of Central Otago," Sam says.
At Otago University, where he studied earth and ocean sciences, he was a critical member of the Otago University Kayak Club, coaching and inspiring beginners. He also joined the ski club, cheese club, and expanded his vast network of friends.
He moved to Queenstown aged 22, where he lived with his best mate Dan Sutherland.
Jeremy's girlfriend Morgan Larkins and Dan said he was a good fit for Queenstown, but not for the usual reasons.
"He didn't have much interest partying in town and if he did end up in a bar, he would have a raspberry coke in hand," they said.
"For the Jermuckle, a Saturday night was best spent away in Milford or elsewhere, kayaking and camping with mates. If he was home, it would be with half a butterscotch and half a bottle of cream to a good light-hearted movie on the projector at the Earnslaw Terrace flat."
Sundays were spent playing disk golf (frolf) with his mum, dad, Dan and Morgan.
"He loved spending time with the people most important to him."
Friend and kayaking mentor Antz Longman says Jeremy was "approachable, down to earth and true to himself" and quickly made friends with everyone.
"If you met Jeremy, you could only leave a conversation happier and with a bigger smile. His infectious energy radiated and we are blessed to call him a friend and a #baller."
He shared his family's passion for conservation and love of the outdoors, enjoying skiing, biking, tramping, fishing and other adventures.
From left to right Grant, Jeremy, Marcus and Dale Norbury
Brother Marcus said: "Jaisy is the glue in our family. He is the never-ending source of positivity. He is mumma’s ray of sunshine, dad’s partner in crime and banter buddy, and his older brother’s role model. Jaisy's objective at all times was to make his mum happy, his dad laugh and his brother proud. But most of all, he was a real mumma's boy.
"My love for you Jaisy is immense, it's deep down inside me. I see you everywhere I look and every time I close my eyes. You were everything to me, I feel empty without you. Going on in life without you is unimaginable, it’s heart wrenching. What I would give to hold you one more time, hold you close to my heart and tell you that I love you, I love you, more than you could ever know."
Mum and dad, Dale and Grant, said: "To our darling young man, we’re in this river eddy right now holding your waka tight to our chest, but we have to push you out now my love into the current, back into the awa, to float you down to the moana, the open ocean. Dad’s waka, mumma’s waka, and Marcy’s waka will follow you one day my love and we will join you my sweet darling boy. We love you Jaisy . . . we love you."
- Donations can be made to the Jeremy Norbury Youth Kayaking Fund, which has been set up in his honour to support young up-and-coming kayakers in Central Otago. 02-0916-0038674-000. Reference: Jerm
