The father of a six-year-old Perth boy who drowned alongside his four-year-old cousin in a shocking accident while on a family holiday was previously awarded a medal for saving a man from drowning.
In a tragic twist, it has been revealed Mark Skrzypek, dad to six-year-old Sonny, received a bravery award five years ago for saving the life of a man who tried to take his own life in Perth waters.
Sonny Skrzypek and his cousin Eddie Lawrence, four, from Auckland, were holidaying with family at a farm in Peria, in far north New Zealand when the vehicle they were in crashed into a stream on Saturday.
Sonny’s stepmother Destiny Swann posted on her Facebook account the boys were travelling in a utility terrain vehicle (UTV) when it crashed into the 11m deep water hole after crashing into a boulder.
She also said there where no safety barriers in place at the Waikainga Stream.
New Zealand police reported four others on board were able to make it out of the water and taken to hospital with minor to moderate injuries.
The boys’ bodies were recovered on Sunday.
Remembering Sonny as her “inquisitive bug-man”, Ms Swann said “Sonny, our little sunshine… Our hearts are forever broken for you,”
Eddie has been described as a “gorgeous little boy who was so cheeky and cheerful”, and remembered for “his irresistible cheekiness, boundless cheer, and adventurous spirit.”
“Eddie lit up every space he entered with an inextinguishable brightness,” said his Aunty Mahdi-Jhan Sandford.
“Losing you both has shattered hearts beyond repair. Our hearts are forever broken for you and our family and are unmendable,” said his Aunty Mahdi.
As the family reels from the unthinkable tragedy, a GoFundMe page was created to help raise funds for funeral costs and repatriation of Sonny back to Perth.
With a fundraiser target of A$150,000, it had raised more than $55,000 in less than 24 hours.
“No words can capture the magnitude of loss we feel, the unique spark that made Sonny and Eddie so extraordinarily special to us all,” she Ms Mahdi.
Family and friends shaken by the tragic news, have offered their support in posts and comments on social media.
One friend wrote: “We will remember Eddie with all the fondness in the world, his cheeky grin and beautiful eyes when seeing him at pick-ups”.
Another wrote “Sonny, sweet boy. We are beyond devastated to hear of your passing. May you fly high with the angels and rest easy now”.
Support has even been shown from outside Australia, with one person donating to the boys fund from Ireland.
“I wouldn’t be able to understand the emotional impact this would have. Lots of love from Ireland”.
Ms Swann thanked local police and emergency services for their efforts and also wrote a thankyou message on her social media account to the “skilled” dive team.
“We can’t express enough thanks and love…you managed to bring our boys back to the Whenua under such extreme circumstances and conditions,” she said.