Brian Harding’s 4-year-old son knows Dad will never come back and gives Mummy a hug and says ‘it’s okay’.

The young child’s older brother is paralysed after breaking his spine while another sibling and Mum have recovered from an operation following a horrific crash that claimed the life of Harding.

The well-known Dargaville personality, 53, was driving his wife Malonie and three sons to Whangārei to attend a Bethel Church service on the morning of October 24 last year when tragedy struck, south of Maungatapere.

His Nissan Wingroad and a Suzuki car being driven by a man with a passenger collided head-on between Otuhi Rd and Whatitiri Rd in Wheki Valley.

Both drivers died at the scene.

Malonie and his two older sons Joseph and Samuel suffered serious injuries, while the Suzuki’s front-seat passenger was also seriously hurt.

Covid restrictions meant Harding’s long list of family and friends were unable to properly farewell him but they’ll get an opportunity to do so this weekend.

His ashes will be laid in the Harding family plot at Mt Wesley at 1pm on Sunday, followed by a gathering at The Lighthouse to celebrate his life and have afternoon tea.

The Hardings celebrated their 18th wedding anniversary just a fortnight before the fatal crash and Malonie turned 40 two days before she lost her husband.

“My 4-year-old understands dad’s not coming back. He gives me a hug and says ‘it’s okay ‘ … he’s just an amazing boy. Luckily, he had no scratches during the accident,” Malonie said.

“My oldest son is 17 now and he can’t walk after damaging his spine. Doctors are unsure whether he’ll be all right. I had an operation and my second son also had surgery.”

Born in Te Kopuru, Harding was a kūmara farmer before venturing into dairy farming.

“He was an amazing man, loving, very down-to-earth, and we’d always pick up hitchhikers and travellers and allowed them to stay at our place,” Malonie said.

She recalled the last big adventure the couple indulged in — a fishing expedition off Tauranga Bay in the Far North during winter last year.

Close friends and family launched a Givealittle page after the crash to help Harding’s family recover from the tragedy.

Bethel Church in Whangārei, which the Harding family are a “much-loved part of”, set up “Aroha for the Hardings” to help with any costs incurred by Harding’s sudden passing.

Those wishing to attend the laying of Harding’s ashes and memorial on Sunday can text or contact Malonie on 0210 8266729.

A six-hour scene examination by the Police Serious Crash Unit determined the west-bound Suzuki had crossed the centre line and hit Harding’s car.

Deadly night on Northland roads: Two dead, 8 injured

After the collision, the Suzuki was involved in a second collision with an eastbound Toyota Hilux.

The police investigation suggested the Suzuki was attempting to pass another vehicle at the time.

Police said the wet weather would have affected visibility and made it difficult to see Hardings’ car.