Dear Luana It is now a year since you left us so suddenly and tragically. The time has gone so fast but we still miss you very much and we often speak of you and how you meant so much to us, your whanau in Rotorua. We still mention the "what if's" and "if only's" but know there are no answers. We all have our own special memories of you and will never forget you. They say time heals but after a year it still hurts to know we won't see you again. Love and Remember you always girl!! Yvette xoxo

Its taken me a while to write on here sorry Luana,..but anyway here i am. We met when Luana and Tashia came to look at our flat in Lyall Bay, and you guys moved in soon after. I remember thinking how you guys had funny American sounding accents and that you were so pretty with your gorgeous eyes. Luana was always so chirpy and happy and i always thought it was so funny how her and Tash would argue in part Samoan-part English. One of our flatmates had a huuuge tv and i remember we would dance in front of it when the music videos were on and pretend we were in the actual video..and it looked real! Im sure we all know Luanas booty dance lol. and we would kiss the boys on the tv like we were right next to them...haha. and when me, luana and erica were kissing the spongebob poster on the wall and taking photos lol. Luana was a very proud Samoan and she would always teach me little words ,like Afikasi which is pretty much the only one i remember because she would always say she was a prettyful afikasi princess :) . She also used to do that Samoan dance (cant remember the name sorry) where you kind of slide across the floor sideways and sway your hips and hands. She taught me the basics but i definately cant do it as good as her! She would pull it out at parties and the white boys would drool lol I still miss you so much Lu and it still doesnt feel real because i never got to say goodbye. You were such a great friend always and i feel bad because after i came back from overseas i didnt get to see you. I regret that the weekend me and corban went up to watch Pussycat dolls we didnt stay with you like you said we could, because that was so close to the time you went to Samoa, and it would have been great to see you. Its funny how we always think therell be another day. I cant believe its been nearly a year. Ok well enough of that depressing stuff, ive got plenty more memories but maybe ill write them another time.. love you xoxo Toni

Me and Margaret went to Sylvia Park today and i saw a Kess saloon and i started to cry cos the last time i was in one was with you... and i rember how the hairdresser lady was being a complete ass to us but u didnt let your guard down.... You told her straight what you thought lol...How we were the paying customers and it was up to us what we wanted done .... Then we sat there the whole time smileing at her while back stabbing her in Samoan lol....then coming out with Purple hair hahahaha that was funny but still we looked good . Another good memory was how u txted me to come over when i was staying out west with Lani and Darren and you needed someone to drive to the airroport to pick up yur mom and Adolf up cos at the time the furthest you could drive was from yur house to Lyn Mall which was a 10min drive hahahahaha not very far....lol any how when i pulled up outside your drive way and waited for u to jump in u sed wed take yur car, so when i jumping in to yur car on the drivers seat you sed hey ill drive ......and then she when i sed to drive to the airroport i ment me and you as the passenger ....so then i jumped out then thought kool....i can enjoy the ride ...and it wasnt untill we got on to the motorway before u tell me that it was your first time driving on the motor way and you needed help knowing which lanes to stick to and exists to take ....then i kinda went stiff in the legs, so not only was i a passenger instructer i was also a Navigator....... I was so nervous and scared that it made my stomach empty which ended up us having Mac Dz at the Airroport.....It was alot easier getting back tho guess cos Adolf was driving ...... Anywyas i miss you terrible big cossy and you are sorely missed every single day. I love u alwys...... Crystal

I had more drink ups with Tash then you but i received more emails from you then Tash... you always passed on a smile no matter what... keep that halo high doll... you're the reason why i never stop smiling... great inspiration... miss my emails :*(

well, me and luana went school together and i tell you what, she always makes me laugh or say someything weird knowing she understand evry samoan conversations i komumu behind her back and oka she would be so defensive and honestly upfront to me about it and i would just laugh and advise her in my usual samoan jokey words which always ended up funny and memorable...i remebered everythime she argues or get into a fight with one of her rivals she would come up to me and tell me to go a beat up that somebody thinking i have a big body oi muscles ae leiloa ole sifi o palaai...hahah i would say to her, "luana se po maumua le mouf ma fai ai o oe eke poko..." she would just laugh and say suga monty did u try it before and i would laugh n say yes except the poko part...lol back to my title as a golden keo as you problay read annie's comments...my trip to nz last year was a true memerable one with you...she was the first one to bebo and call me that she's already on her way to pik me up...that i can't forget...the lito time i spent with her and oka it was enough memories with that golden girl of mine...and i would never forget her asking me if i'd wanted her golden shoes and i said suga i will treasure them and put them in the museum for display...she laughed again and said suga vaai kei ua iloa e loli ma agi i gave them to you...so anni get your stories right...luana gifted me with her golden flats even though oka se second hand la lea but still somehow i kept those safely and the first time i wore them that nite of outing le masagi i high boots and the last time too...i will always treasure that and to bebo me bak that you were coming ova for a short trip...oka i only wished i replied you but hey you're probably reading this and i could feel it...ahaha you were a greeat friend and will alaways be a golden pesto afakasi...lol

I met Luana at university about 5 years ago..We studied and worked together. I remember working at the Maori Education Trust and her telling me about having her hair chemically straightened and wanted to try an African salon. I told that lu lu those chemicals will be too strong for her hair but to no surprise she went anywayz. Came into work a few days later and showed me a patch in her head. It was burnt and looked like a sore. hahaha She was just cracking up and showing everyone her sore!! ahhh I'll never forget the look on my brother's face when she asked him if he wanted to touch it..Soo funny man I still can't bear the reality...I think of u almost everyday my friend because there are only few ppl in this world i call true friends and u were one..you were gonna visit me in September to see baby Micah..It never happened and that's why i feel cheated..We made plans that never happened :(( Love u Tali

Luana, one of those friends who was always texting, emailing, calling...regardless of whether you kept in touch. Shes someone who always text me or called me whenever she got back to Samoa. She would always manage to find my number no matter how many times it changed (because i wud always have a different number whenever i came back). I have so many great memories of you, me and Tasha out clubbing (b4 i lfet 4 Fiji and during skool breaks). Back when Bad Billys was the "cool" place to be!lol. I remember how Fridays used to be the greatest nights out because i would be with the best group of pals ever! It was so random how we would not meet up at all during the week and come Friday we would be all on the fone arranging what time to meet up! High school was a crack up with you two. Have so many silly memories of us and the dumb things we did. I love u Luana. You were a true friend even when we seperated because our lives were going in different directions.

So many memories.... I remember always chatting online... about mundane things really, but mostly about her research, how she was scared she couldn't do it. I remember laughing at her and saying why are ou buying into things others are saying.... stay true to you.... I don't know why I said that, because if anything, that is what Luana did throughout her life! Malo le tauivi, malo le galue!! Alofas Lia

Here's mine....very random and very weird! lol.... She's forever emailing and forever texting, inviting everyone over and seeing what everyone's up to....her people anyway [where which I am honored to be one of the blessed few getting a few of those messages and txts]. Sadly I always ignored her thinking, "eh se e uma aka gagu se ae faa-samoa aku ae ga o le luelue pesto o le ulu ma smile mai luana kuluku"....lol .....but there was one night amongst the very few ones after that first one... [u remember Luana?...lol.....how me and Loli were trying on your nice high heels in hopes that if one of us fits in to them, we would so definitely ninja them.....lol] ae ga o lou gofo gofo lava ma e aka aka se lou mea kuluku! And then we went out! .........You, Loli, Lamoga, Solomoga and Renzo....singing and laughing on Queen street to Viaduct. Then we stopped cause Loli's feet hurt and she was rastaring i lalo....lol.....akili ai she couldn't find her other stocking pair...yaki...lol..... We continued walking and I gave up. My high heels too were killing my Samoan size feet fankiu veri much.....and then it was Lamoga who took off her boots, but the palagi was still tuff all the way to Via Duct harbour. ....and then to our most shocking discovery (da discovery of the kamaikiki amo popo....lol), we saw you holding your heels and on your feet were blue flats which Lamoga stole from you after our outing.......hahahahaha.......and I am telling you now that it was not I, or Gloria bbuuuuuuttttt Ramona Tugaga of Vaivase who has your flats pls......lol Moral of the story is, you were the only maka-poko one to take spare flats.....very new to my television.....lmao Anyway, thank you Luana for YOU!!! Sorely missed! Love you lots, Annie and baby Malu-Ai-Tai Alexandrah Sufia ...xox

I remember Luana as a person that was fun loving and happy. She has a great many friends and i'm honored to be one of them. We met in high school and again at uni. She forever had her camera on her and was a happy snapper of pics that she would always upload onto her bebo and facebook pages. You always know what she was doing and feeling as she was always updating her status. It is so sad to have lost her, she was so young and you just knew that she was soo looking forward to life, where it may take her. My very last memories of her was on Nadia's hens night. She was parked at the back of the bus happily drinking vodka with all of us and of course dancing on the party bus from north shore to the city. She is missed by me and i know by all her family and friends.

Luana , such a beautiful lady - who welcomed us and was as excited to meet us as we were to meet her, the 'last Cobcroft in Samoa'. Our love always to you and family

it's still too hard to accept that u r gone but wen I'm down I think d great times! here goes :) (I wil even talk part Fob hehe) I met u wen we was on a geo field trip to the souf oiland. We were talkin about bdays and once we found out we shared the same bday off we went. We were inseperable aftr dat. We waited till the last nite to drink and boy did we over do it lol. every1 else was dry sleepn so we went around d cabins wakn people up hehe. then we met some random Italians and sang abba songs wif them. This is the first week I met u! once we got bak to Welly we partied hard (winning bar tabs along the way) we were both big on partying but we also had important studies to do. how many all nighters did we do! I was such a tomboy and u were forever forcn me to put on nice clothes and applying my makeup. u is the reason my fotos is prettyful today :) we always told people we was twins and we were in a way. we had everything in common right down to smothering our food in tomato sauce. wen u moved to Aucks it sucked but wen I moved up here in 07 we got back on that dancing wagon! I member comn to your place for a week while u were alone and we waited til 11 each nite to watch ab fab. We always quoted the lines! and also off Kath n Kim..look at moi. we went to a few of your postgrad partys and got up to mischief (don't worry me won't tell lol) The last partying we did together was St Pats of this year. u were so funny. I was busy doin a fake jig and u hopped in the middle of the dance circle and pulled out your siva. The last msg u posted on bebo was that I should head over to Samoa- it was really hot. am so so guttered that I will never get to experience Samoa with u. It really hurt when I had to find out thru a friend who saw on facebook that u had passed away. I felt ripped off that I never got a goodbye and it hurt so badly. Now I look at it different. U were such a fb and bebo freak that it's only fitting that I found out thru it..well it helps to to think like that lol I still have the pot of foundation u gave me and some clothes. hurts everytime I look at them. U were one of the kindest sweetest people and I am so lucky that I had u in my life if even for a short time. wenever we were together we had FUN! it didn't matter if things weren't goin well in my life, the min I was with u I forgot everything and laughed the blues away. now it's not so easy.... I am still reppn u as my twin. I wish I told u I loved you and how much u meant to me. We never got serious like that. Just laughed and laughed. I am so proud of everything u achieved in your life...u harassed me all d time to finish my postgrad. I will ok!! everyday I wake up and think of u and wen I go to sleep I think of u. I thought that was an expression but it so honestly tru with me right now. I love u my friend and will never ever forget u xxxooo

Toni Elers

14 years ago

Very beautiful Erica and so true :)

There's nothing more painful than to have a part of our bodies removed.. a sister to be taken away in a blink of an eye.. what a sad experience. My regular cake shop is at Adrias back in samoa and from there I have first met Luana, but knew nothing about her.. until I now.. how sad.. She's beautiful and very friendly too. R.I.P

you were always such a little music guru, knew all the latest hit songs. You were always trying to update me and keep me 'cool' in the music world!LOL! I found your last made CD (of your hundreds of homemade CDs) titled "luanas May CD 2009" full of lady gaga and Akon...i feel like now im really gonna be and old dud with no one to keep me updated in the world of cool songs...i love you sis

It was our first year at Vic Uni and we were so excited. I had finally turned 18 and could go clubbing for the first time in New Zealand!! The start of our many nights waiting at the bus stop all glamed up, freezing our buns off! but ready to party:). She took me to Fat Ladies Arms and made me enter an ass shaking comp! I was so embarrassed and not even drunk but she told me that I had to do something fun and crazy now that I was 18 and away from home. Sadly I came second but during the whole thing she was at the front of the crowd screaming at the top of her lungs:). Always supportive and the first to defend you. She was an amazing friend and has a permanent home in my heart.xoxoxo

Dear Luana A month has nearly gone since your tragic accident and the pain, for me, is still as strong as it first was. I’m so sorry I was not able to make it to Samoa to say my goodbyes to you and to be with your family during this extreme sad time. It was heartbreaking for Laetitia and me not to be there to farewell you. I can’t thank your wonderful family enough for their kindness and love they showed Casey and Melissa while they were there. I wake up so early every morning, thinking of all the “what if’s” and “if only’s” and “why did this happen”, but there are no answers! I just cry. I now more than ever, appreciate that we had you with us for that short time for Casey’s graduation (you so deserved to be there) and the couple of days you spent in Rotorua with us after that, even though I didn’t get to see much of you as we were attending a tangi for another young life taken so tragically, and I didn’t get to say goodbye to you then either! I even Google your name most days and read over and over the newspaper stories about your accident hoping like hell that none of this is true. In my heart I knew you would have been back in Rotorua in time. Casey had planned to fly to Samoa to be with you as you knew. It is so true – we take life/loved ones for granted, assuming they will be here for always. I now tell the kids I love them all the time and I don’t care if they get sick of me telling them. You will always be a part of our family Luana, we had you for 5 or so years so how can we not think of you as family. I look at your photo, your beautiful, radiant smile and the tears just flow, I can’t accept that you’re gone – not yet! I know what we are felling here is nothing compared to what your family is going through. Life is just so unfair sometimes and it really sucks. Nola your tribute to Luana was very moving and so true. I am trying to find the “right” words to express to you and your family, but there are no words that can be said to help ease the pain, but I hope you know we are thinking of you all. Our love goes out to you all. AROHA TINO NUI Yvette, Nan and Koro Douglas, Casey, Melissa, Laetitia, Uncle Wayne, Aunty Ti, Adam, Loana, Ashley, Rik, Nicole, TK and Dylan (your whanau in Rotorua)

Sitting here remembering those first few weeks after we arrived back in NZ... I would come back to the flat, walk in and say "hi huni, I'm home".... you would reply "hi huni, how was your day"... we laughed about how chellass kuini would be! lol I knew the move to NZ would be really hard for me, but you made it that much easier... I was comforted in the fact that you wouldn't be far away, and so happy that your house was just around the corner from mine :) Then when Tasha moved, it felt like we were home.... Everything changed in one day.... and now I'm lost.... :( I miss you so much Lulu xxx

My dearest and prettiful Luana......it has now almost been a month since you have been gone from this world. And time has been shifting by ever so slowley without you here, without your jokes, without your smiles and laughter. I shared so many wonderful memories with you while we lived together. I have to say though my favourite would have to have been when Tasha was over in Nz and we were living in that massive whare in Waterview. We had the Karaoke going...and it was just the girls partying up and even playing cards for lollies!!!...lyk how old are we?? hahaha...we had plenty of times like that...even when you would come down to Rotorua with Casey and I for whateva family function we had going on.....my family loved you!!...you got along with us all so well...you were apart of our family. And dont worry about Hipi....I know hes getting taken care of and hopefully soon we can bring him home to Rotorua with us. Im missing you everyday Luana, as is Casey and the rest of the Douglas whanau. Everytime I have a drink...I cheers it to you Luana....u were the life of the party and you make me appreciate everything and every moment in my life now. Love you forever pretty girl......xoxoxoxo

I will always remember you as Tashia's little sister. I remember one night we went out with Tashia and on our way home or was it to Frankies to buy food, I had 50 cent's PIMP playind and you were singing to it and having a good time.... Even when we went climbing up Mt Vaea at Vailima, with your big sister Tashia you always had a smile on your face. I will always remember you as the girl who always had a smile on your face and had a positive zest for life. Enjoy heaven and keep smiling!!

today i will say, that i remember Luana was just soooo much fun, i evnied her because she had cool and smart sisters, and also the best mom and a really cool step-dad :) I remember her telling me on her last week that she meta boy that she may have a chance with to be happy again... I also remember she told me about a TV seriesd which i had no clue of...Little Britian, and she was impersinating the charachters... "I'm a LAdy" she kept saying....from the series.... but you were Luana, you were a little mis Poshy Lady... you has everyhing, from beauty, style, fashion, mena, the best make up, collest shoes, and eventhough you were kinds ditzy....in a cool way....you were smart.... i have sooooooo many memories of us outing, I love the night when Tashia was just telling all your secrets at my house and there was a guy there at my place that you didnt know at the drink up...and you were really quiet and werent defending yourself.... then when the guy left, you turned to Tashia and told her "Taaash, i dont loike it when you discuss my life like that infrom of strangers".... we all looked at you then we alll cracked up laughin coz it was really funny....lol....im actually laughing now.... so anyway, thank you Luana, for being such an AWESOME person, if i have a sister, she would be just like you....or at least a daughter like you.... i love you but i never ever think isaid that to you...maybe when i was drunk, but i hope i meant it that time :) anyway, i will come back here and share more memories of you...but i thank you Lulu for the best times we had...the secrets just you and me shared on the after parties that we went ot and i had to drop you off home in a taxi at 4am :)... and thank you for being so loko alofa to me... :) I LOVE YOU LULU...

I always saw you at the cake shop and asked how Nola is and where she is - we (Kuini, Tavalea, Sally, Tasha & I) even had an outing last year - it was the night of the Oceania boxing championship. We mostly talked about Nola at the pre outing party. We danced with Australian boxers at Blue Lagoon :D:D:D We were so drunk after the club we were behind Sally's car and my feet were outside & Luana took a picture of me laughing hard with my feet out of the car. She also took a pic of Kuini, her and I while laughing about it. This all happened outside Hotel Kitano while the Australian boxers invited us to party - which we all refused to go but Luana wanted us to stay hehehe - so we all went home - an unforgettable night of fun and laughter - and I remember the green mena Luana wore that night :):):) we love u Luana darling xoxoxo stars will always be in your eyes love - one of the most beautiful eyes ever :)

More to follow hahahaha

I can still remember when you got your new front teeth....hahaha...you were so funny Luana...all the times you thought you were Tofiga with your jokes or impersonations...hahaha...I can still remember visiting you in the place you lived in behind the Mt Albert shops and you were telling me about your neighbor and the loud "noises" she used to make all hours of the day...hahaha...there are so many and i am still sifting through them in my mind...I can still hear your voice and your laugh...miss you fumfa!!!

hanging out with you with our messy afro morning hair, in our boxers and singlets at your flat in auckland, mum cooking up a storm for breakfast in the kitchen...just chilling cracking jokes..making faces...then hurrying you up to take us out to town...