Two weeping teenage girls sat by the roadside where 17-year-old Sanele Pauli was was hit by a car and killed after celebrating the All Blacks' victory with his two younger brothers.
Police say the driver may have been drinking and driving too fast when he struck Sanele as he was crossing Great North Rd in Pt Chevalier at about 2.20am on Monday.
Year 13 Avondale College student Brooke Sinclair-Heke said she had a "thing'' with the quiet, funny, caring teenager.
"Nobody knew about it, it was just between us.''
She struggled to contain her tears as she tried to describe what Sanele was like.
"He was so shy. But he was humble and was always there for you, if you needed anything he would always have your back. He was really kind and he always knew how to respect girls.
"I just wish that I could have told him how I felt and I wish that he could hold me again.''
Brooke's friend Amiria Goodenough said Sanele was due to graduate from high school in less than two weeks.
"It's just not fair that he was taken so young. That wasn't his time. People say that when you die that's your time, but that wasn't his time. He was kind of robbed and so was his family and all his friends at school, and I hope that driver realises it, what he's actually done.''
Salene's usually-boisterous Year 11 brother was quiet and "just kind of emotionless'' at school today, Amiria said.
His uncle, also called Sanele Pauli, said his nephew didn't want to go out that night, preferring to watch the game on TV, but his two younger brothers wanted to go downtown and, as usual, Sanele felt he needed to look after them.
After the game they took the bus to Pt Chevalier where they were going to stay at their grandmother's house for the night.
"They got off the bus and apparently they were crossing the road and a car just hit him. It only just missed the other brother, eh. Apparently it was going too fast.''
"Apparently, when it hit him he went flying five metres in the air. Looking at the car, it was just like he hit a power pole. The car got smashed in the front. They other boys were trying to help but he died straight away anyway.''
Sanele was his dad's "right hand man'', always helping him with work and around the house.
"He looked after all his family, very caring. He'd be the one to look after the kids and that, there's six of them: three girls, three boys. It's a big loss to our family.''
Mina Patel, owner of Pasadena Dairy on Great North Rd, said she was woken by a loud bang followed by screaming.
"A boy was yelling, the brother of the dead boy, he said "oh, stay, don't go away.''
Ms Patel saw the driver sitting with his head in his hands, and spoke to him.
"He said 'oh my God, please help, please help. I wasn't driving fast, but they were in the middle of the road'.''
Ms Patel said she could not smell alcohol on his breath.
Tui Ha, owner of Saigon Pasadena Bakery, said her 18-year-old daughter was "haunted'' after witnessing the crash.
She had heard Salene's brother pleading "wake up, wake up, mum's going to get really mad with me''.
"It's going to hang over her [the 18-year-old daughter] for the rest of her life,'' Ms Ha said.
"It broke our hearts because it's just so sad. ... If you keep at 50 kilometres [per hour] you won't bump into someone. Do you understand? I believe they would see the kids cross the road at 50 kilometres. I can't concentrate today, I'm very upset myself.''
Police are speaking with the 38-year-old driver of the silver Nissan Primera and were considering laying charges, Constable Mark Rodgers said.
They are still appealing for witnesses and anyone with information can contact Mr Rodgers on 09 359 3116 or email mark.rodgers@police.govt.nz
Seven people were killed on the roads during the official Labour Weekend holiday road toll period, from 4pm on Friday to 6am today.
