Remembering Hiko

It is a date weighing heavy in their hearts, the anniversary of the death of a much loved, son, brother, friend and fiancé.

Almost a year has passed since seasonal worker Hiko Lynch, 23, was fatally injured on a Blenheim Street on June 20 2021.

As his family and friends get ready to mark the difficult milestone, they do so with love, determined to celebrate the life of a young man lost too soon.

Hiko was in his third year of seasonal work on the Recognised Seasonal Employer scheme and had been working at vineyard management company Hortus Ltd for several weeks.

RSE Manager Tahu Huntley says the team there are trying to put the upcoming trial out of their minds for now and focus on Hiko and his family.

“We want to commemorate his life, we want to celebrate, not mourn.”

It should have been a night of fun and smiles as Hiko, a Tongan national, joined his new friends to celebrate a birthday.

But hours later the talented volleyball and rugby player was allegedly stabbed in an altercation on Blenheim’s Market Street.

Another friend was also seriously injured in the attack.

“Luckily it missed all his vital organs,” says Tahu. “He is fully recovered now and back at work here.”

Tahu, who helped identify Hiko following the alleged murder, says Hiko’s family will hopefully be coming to Blenheim for the trial.

The Hortus team hope to have Hiko’s parents cut the ribbon on a new upgraded gym which they will name in their son’s honour.

“We have an onsite gym at work which has been upgraded and we are naming that after him. We want his parents to be there, it’s a nice way to have his name on the wall forever.”

A signed shirt and rugby ball given to Hiko’s fellow RSE friends by All Black Richie Mo'unga will also take pride of place.

The pandemic meant Hiko had not been able to return home since 2019 to see his mum, dad, three brothers and three sisters.

He had only been in Blenheim for a few weeks, moving to Marlborough from the North Island for work.

His friends at Hortus were shocked by the loss of the smiley young man who was engaged to be married when he returned to his hometown of Holonga.

"It was the worst week of my working life,” Tahu says.

“While we’d rather forget the actual day itself, we will do something for Hiko later on, to celebrate him.

A Givealittle fundraising page set up in the wake of Hiko’s shock death raised $16,717 which was sent to his family.

The Hortus team hope to give another cheque to Hiko’s parents when they arrive in New Zealand.

Auckland man George Junior Pikaahu, 34, has plead not guilty to three charges; murder, wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, and failing to help a detective with a search.

He will stand trial in August before a jury.