I took my daughter to Fes’s funeral.
I think it’s important young people see great people’s funerals and Efeso was a great man.
He was one of my oldest friendships spanning 3 decades
We spent thousands of hours talking politics, policy and plotting.
I miss him dearly.
It was wonderful seeing many of the old AUSA Executive who worked with Efeso at Auckland University in our student activist days.
Marama gave one of the best speeches of her life, the beautiful manner in which so many could articulate how Efeso made them feel and how powerful a love he was in their life was wonderful and that should be and must be celebrated.
But for me, Efeso Collins was bigger than the love he brought into every interaction of his life, he was bigger than the space he filled between people, he had ideas, and vision and a true belief in the egalitarian promise of New Zealand and he was prepared to fight for it.
Efeso had the vision, we were too frightened to follow him.
You can only lead the people if you love the people and Efeso loved the people.
Our thoughts with his beloved wife and treasured daughters.
Goodbye Fes.
You beautiful, powerful, intelligent friend.
Rest in Peace, we won’t let you down.
PS – Could I just give Rod Emmerson. shout out here. His cartooning covering Efeso’s passing have been some of the greatest tributes and moments that will eternalise Efeso. Many respects to Rod for his amazing art.
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Martyn – He was a cool guy…need more
Losing a good friend is awful. And all we can do, really, is to be patient until time mercifully puts a callous over the pain until we’re once again delivered back into the fold. An old and dear friend of mine once said ” I’m not looking forward to dying at all but I’m also curious to see what’s on the other side. There’s clearly no such thing as ‘nothing’ or ‘nothing’ would be all we’d have which isn’t much of anything so we couldn’t exist in the beginning. So you two have ‘nothing’ to worry about because you’re both literally quite ‘something’ else.
Besides, Elon Musk once said ” There’s a billion to one chance that we’re NOT rearward projections of our future selves”.
A fitting tribute to Efeso Martyn. Thank you.
We knew he was a great man, but unfortunately he didn’t have the time left to demonstrate to NZ and the rest of the world what true greatness is.
Emerson’s cartoon above is one of the best ever.
People like Efeso don’t come along that often.
I’m so angry with God for taking him.
His kids needed him more than heaven did.
So did we…
It is amazing the number of people that have come to a realisation of what Efeso represented, did, and was offering…no further qualification needed–just some action from all that can be united.
Deeply unfortunate. You don’t see people with a moral compass aspiring to political office let alone making it there very often.