“Welcome to the world little man.”
In an earlier interview with the Herald, Cooke said the baby was due on January 1, 2026 – the day that would have been Watson’s 29th birthday.
A scan after Watson lost his life had revealed the baby was going to be a boy.
Cooke also revealed to the Herald in October, he would be named Zire; a name they had chosen together if the baby was a boy.
Kane would be added as a tribute to the father the baby would never get to meet.
Among posts featuring photos of Zire-Kane sleeping and pictured with his older siblings, Cooke has also written a heartfelt tribute about her partner of more than two years.
“I miss you more than anything, I wish more than everything you could be here, to meet our baby and to watch our daughter become a big sister, to see how awesome our big kids are,” Cooke wrote.
“Life is so chaotic and I wish you were here to help me through it, to keep me calm and grounded, but even with all the chaos and never having a moment of peace, your absence is always noticed, the house can be so loud and busy but the sound of your voice constantly singing or whistling is always missing. I will forever long for you and miss you more than anything.
“I love you my beautiful man.”
How trip to beach turned into tragedy
The last thing a pregnant Cooke told her partner was “I love you”.
She also took a photo of Watson as he dug in a sand dune.
The family’s impromptu family trip to Muriwai Beach on August 23 turned to despair when a sand dune collapsed, burying Watson and inflicting injuries that would see him die in hospital two days later.
Cooke was on top of sand dunes taking photographs of the setting sun when she told her beloved 28-year-old partner – down below digging in the sand – it was time to head home.
“He turned around from inside the hole, and he was just smiling at me as he always was and I yelled out that I loved him,” Cooke told the Herald in an interview in October.
“So, I walked back down to the bottom of the sand dune and just as I got back down to the bottom of it, my 10-year-old sister yells out, ‘Kane’s buried’.
“I ran over, I gave her the baby and it’s only his feet sticking out.
Both Cooke and her 9-year-old son started trying to dig Watson out from under 2m of sand.
The 10-year-old ran to get help, while frantic calls to 111 were made.
Cooke said other beachgoers rushed to help; including a teen who had been riding a dirt bike nearby, and two men in their mid-30s.
“Every time you touch any bit of sand at that point, it’s just caving in on itself more,” she said.
Watson was unresponsive when he was rescued, with the two men starting CPR immediately.
Local volunteer firefighters took over the CPR mission when they arrived soon after.
“They were all so amazing,” Cooke said.
“They just worked so freaking endlessly, trying to bring him back to life.”
Their efforts were successful, managing to restart Watson’s heart near where he had been buried.
He was later airlifted to hospital.
But Cooke – who turned 29 in the week leading up to the tragedy – realised the prognosis was “grim” and Watson died on August 25.
Coroner’s report: Injuries unsurvivable, warning about sand dune digging
Last month, Coroner Ian Telford released his findings into Watson’s death, saying the young dad’s injuries were not survivable despite efforts to save him.
He wrote that “despite prolonged resuscitation and advanced medical care, it became clear” that the young dad’s injuries “were not survivable”.
The coroner pointed to complications of cardiac arrest, entrapment and asphyxia as the cause of Watson’s death after the incident at Muriwai Beach.
Pathologist Dr Michael Duffy’s report included in the coroner’s findings explained: “Being trapped in sand in this manner can make it extremely difficult to breathe and cause sand to enter the lungs.
“The weight and pressure from the sand can also prevent the lungs from expanding properly.
“Without enough oxygen, the heart can stop, and once the heart stops pumping, vital organs quickly become damaged.”
Duffy said in this case, the “process led to brain swelling, injury to the liver and kidneys, and reduced heart function”.
The report also stressed the danger regarding the stability of sand dunes.
“Dunes can become unstable without warning. Even small tunnels or cavities may collapse, leading to serious injury or death,” the coroner said.
“As we approach the summer season, it is important that beachgoers – especially those supervising children – are aware of these risks, avoid digging into dunes, and seek emergency assistance immediately if anyone becomes trapped.”
Neil Reid is a Napier-based senior reporter who covers general news, features and sport. He joined the Herald in 2014 and has 33 years of newsroom experience.
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