Investigators are investigating the suicide of the Maori All Blacks star, who was killed in a car accident last week.
Sean Wainui (Super Rugby star), was killed in a car accident last week near Tauranga, New Zealand’s Bay of Plenty.
Coroner Louella Dunn has confirmed to the NZ Herald his death ‘is being treated as a suspected suicide’ just days after Wainui’s funeral took place in Gisborne.
Ms. Dunn has issued provisional suppression orders regarding the circumstances surrounding the player’s passing. This means that no further details can be provided.
Sean Wainui, Maori All Blacks’ star, was killed in a car accident last week. A Coroner confirmed that it is being investigated as a suicide.
This revelation comes just days following Paige, his wife in mourning (pictured), posted an emotional tribute to her husband shortly after she had finally laid his body to sleep.
This news comes just days following Paige’s emotional tribute to her husband, which she posted after she had finally laid his body to sleep on Sunday.
The mother-of-2 posted an Instagram Story in the which she is pictured smiling with her husband while he plays guitar.
Paige wrote that ‘Laying your to rest yesterday was one of the hardest things I have ever done and will do in my whole life’. ‘Missing you so much, my baby, love you forever.’
Paige also posted another photo of a shoreline, with the words, ‘Not a moment goes by where I’m not thinking about you, my baby. Right by your favourite spot in the world.
“I know that you look over us for all eternity.”
After the funeral, the widow was heartbroken and posted two tributes to her husband. It was revealed that her husband’s death was being treated as suicide just days later.
The couple (pictured) celebrated their first anniversary of marriage just six weeks ago
This is the second tribute that the grieving mother has posted since her husband’s death. The couple had only celebrated their one-year wedding anniversary six weeks before.
Paige posted an Instagram video when her husband was getting ready to return to Gisborne.
It showed her holding her children, Kawariki, 2, & Arahia, 2 years, as they performed a ceremonial Maorihaka.
‘This pain is unbearable Kei te hoki koe ki tō whenua taurikura my baby māku koe e arahi. She wrote that she knew she was waiting for her.
“We’re on our journey to gizzy!” [Gisborne]We are bringing you home now, baby.
The Maori words translate roughly to ‘you’re coming back to your home, I’ll lead you’.
Paige previously posted a video in which almost two dozen men performed haka for her family while her husband was preparing to return home to Gisborne.
The All Blacks paid tribute Wainui by pausing their haka before Saturday’s Test match against USA in Washington. Captain Sam Whitelock (middle), led the side.
Paige Wainui’s devastated wife Paige stated that Wainui was in ‘absolute parts and in so much pain knowing that my whole other half has left this Earth’ (pictured, the couple during their wedding).
The All Blacks paid tribute to him by pausing during the haka performed before Saturday’s Test match against USA in Washington DC.
The team stopped for eleven seconds to pay tribute the Wainui No.11 jersey, with Sam Whitelock leading the side.
Wainui’s family issued a statement in the meantime.
“We just want to say thank you to everyone for their love, support, and generosity. We are grateful for the beautiful tributes from his loved ones around the world.
‘We understand there are many hurting right now and wanting to hear from the whānau, but please respect that we have just lost our baby brother, a son, a husband and a father and our focus right now is healing and laying my brother to rest.’
The rugby star’s wife has honoured her loved one by receiving a tā moko on her ring finger in a design similar to her husband’s, by the same artist that tattooed Wainui.
She wrote in the caption, “I don’t know the words to describe the feeling of losing your baby. All I know is that I don’t want this on anyone.”
“I’m in absolute pain and in such a terrible place knowing that my entire other half has left this world.
“It was truly a moment of special as he did Sean’s mokowhiti to look like our marriage and our Tamariki.
Paige has honoured her late husband by receiving a tā moko on her ring finger in a design similar to his, done by the same artist that tattooed Wainui (pictured)
The Instagram video was captioned by Paige, the player’s wife.
Colin Cooper, Wainui’s coach, delivered a tearful tribute to the player at Wainui’s tangi. It is a Maori word that means a ceremonial funeral, or wake.
He said, “I was so proud, he took all the balls and we were able continue and win the case because, because he inspired, and he inspired us with the attributes on the field,”
Wainui’s father Paul said his heart was beginning to heal following the loss of his son, saying: ‘I don’t wish any parent to bury their own child especially this age, [but]God gives and God receives.
The brother of the 25-year old said that he ‘will always be close to our hearts’ and that the four siblings had acted together like ‘walls of a whare’.
The former under-20s New Zealand representative played 53 Super Rugby matches for the Crusaders as well as the Chiefs.
Wainui made Super Rugby history by scoring five tries in a match against the NSW Waratahs Trans-Tasman clash in June.
He was also a representative of the Maori All Blacks on ten occasions.
His Super Rugby club have remembered Wainui as a passionate, hard-working and proud Māori and exceptional player.
Wainui (pictured with wife Paige and son Kawariki, 2) has been remembered by his Super Rugby Club as a passionate, hard-working and proud Māori and exceptional player
Paige, his wife and his two children, Kawariki, 2 and Arahia, 2 (pictured), will remember the All Blacks star.
Police inquiries into the fatal crash are continuing, with Coroner Louella Dunn confirming his death was ‘being treated as a suspected suicide’ on Tuesday.
Police stated that they were notified that a car had collided with a tree at 7.50am.
“The vehicle’s sole occupant died on the spot.
“The Serious Crash Unit was on the scene and inquiries into the circumstances of this crash are ongoing.”