The brother of Hayden Marshall-Inman, a tour guide who died in the White Island/Whakaari eruption, is heading to the volcano on the one-year anniversary of the disaster to remember "the good times" and his sibling's unforgettable laugh.
Marshall-Inman, a 40-year-old tour guide from Whakatāne, was one of the 22 people who lost their lives in the eruption - a tragedy that irreparably changed the lives of a closely-knit community and those affected on that fateful day.
The body of the 40-year-old was never recovered. Australian 17-year-old, Winona Langford, was also never located.
On the morning of the one-year anniversary of the disaster, Mark Inman is sailing towards the volcano that claimed the life of his brother - a man described by his friends and family as a "spectacular human" who was "full of life".
Speaking to The AM Show from out on the water, Inman described the journey as "very humbling".
"It's a very special time of the morning, watching the sun come up and heading out to Whakaari," he said.
Inman says he will spend the morning sitting in the surrounding waters, reflecting on his loss over a cold Steinlager.
"We're just gonna go out in the bay and say hi to Hayden and Winona [Langford] - there's two of them still out there," Inman said. "We'll share a cold Steinlager, remember the good times and just reflect… as long we're out there, saying hi, and remembering everyone.
"I just remember his laugh… his spirit of joy and happiness… but if there was one single thing, it would be his laugh."
Loved ones of the other victims are also heading out to Whakaari to reflect and pay their respects, Newshub reporter Lisette Reymer said from Whakatāne on Wednesday morning.
"They want to see her up-close, to reflect and remember what happened there a year ago," she told The AM Show.
An emotionally-charged karakia was shared with mourners at dawn in a moving service commemorating the tragedy.
"Today is all about healing, not just for the families but for the general public," Reymer said.
The local community is encouraged to attend a memorial at 1pm and partake in a minute of silence at 2:11pm - the exact moment White Island erupted one year ago.
