Coroner: Wainui death suspected suicide

The death of Sean Wainui is being treated as a suspected suicide, according to the Coroner. The 25-yearold professional rugby player died on October 18. His body was found in McLaren Falls Park, near Tauranga. The case is being treated as a suspected suicide by Coroner Louella Dunn, a statement from the Coroner said yesterday. Wainui was from the small settlement of Whatatutu near Gisborne and has ties to Nga¯i Tu¯hoe, Te A¯itanga a Ma¯haki, Nga¯ Ariki Kaipu¯tahi, and Nga¯ti Porou. He spent most of his childhood in Auckland and attended Takapuna Grammar School. Wainui’s widow Paige shared an emotional social media post on Monday, after he was laid to rest at the weekend at Te Wainui Marae in Gisborne. She shared a video on Instagram of her getting a ta¯ moko similar to Sean’s on her ring finger. She said it was ‘‘truly a special moment’’ to get a ta¯ moko by the same artist who tattooed her husband, saying he ‘‘did Sean’s mokowhiti to resemble our marriage and our tamariki’’. A Givealittle page launched by the Chiefs has raised more than

$270,000. All the proceeds will go directly to Paige, Kawariki and Arahia, the page said.