She “really valued” his support and wisdom when she took the role of tumuaki of the school in 2022.

“He had a generosity of spirit that came from his faith, and he is often described by those who were blessed to know him as being the kindest man on earth.”

During his time as a trustee, he oversaw a number of property projects and eventually took on the position of co-chair of the Board from 2021-2023, Mercer said.

She added that Gwilliam and his family had moved to Northland about six years ago and will be remembered as “a parent, friend and member of their Board of Trustees.”

In a publicly available candidacy document that Gwilliam had written in 2019 to stand as a trustee, he expressed his passion to serve his local community and “sincerely believed in the vital roles schools play in the success and wellbeing of all their tamariki and thus, Aotearoa.”

The document mentions him having over 20 years of experience working in the construction industry as a qualified builder besides doing project and site management work in New Zealand and the UK.

One of his statements expressed the joy he gained when he spent his spare time with his family, doing some landscape gardening and studying te reo Māori at Te Wanānga o Aotearoa.

In a poetic eulogy, Principal Mercer compared Gwilliam to “a totara that has fallen in the forest of Tane.”

The Serious Crash Unit is investigating the cause behind the crash.

Avneesh Vincent is the crime and emergency services reporter at the Northern Advocate. He was previously at the Gisborne Herald as the arts and environment reporter and is passionate about covering stories that can make a difference. He joined NZME in July 2023.