Message from Mr Antonio Gotingco, the husband of Blessie Gotingco.

I can't describe how awful the past few days have been for our family.

We are taking one step at a time.

We would like to thank our countrymen (New Zealand) for all of the support, sympathies, kind words and love.

People have reached out to us from across the country, people we have never met and we are so grateful and overwhelmed by the kindess and the outpour of support.

My wife is a very god fearing , kind , generous, loving and caring human being. She is a very good wife, mother and grandmother. A good sister and a good friend and so much that I can't even begin to describe.

She is the light of our home and without her we will be lost in darkness.

Right now we are just trying to pretend that everything is ok but deep inside we are broken hearted.

We have been robbed, she is gone too soon.

We were neighbours in the Phillipines, and we grew up together, I knew her since we were in primary school and she was a classmate of my sister. We have been married for 30 years. She was 20 when we became sweethearts. She was a wonderful wife and friend to me. She was my bestfriend.

Once Blessie has been cremated we will place her ashes at the altar at St Marys Church, Onewa with a photo of Blessie. Anyone is welcome to come and pay their respects.

After that we will hold a public funeral service a requiem mass, everyone is welcome to come.

We would like to thank so many people, the neighbours who have bought us food and flowers and condolences. The New Zealand Police for being very supportive and very efficient, they have been with us from day one. I think they are the world's finest.

We would also like to thank the Filipino community here and our friends and relatives back home in Cebu.

We also want to thank our friends and family and all of the people that we personally don't know for all of their the prayers.

Blessie is coming home now and we will cope the best way we can.

Thank you

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