Bobby | Marfell, Taranaki

**This story talks about suicide. If you, or someone you know, needs help you can text or free call 1737 at anytime to talk to, or text with, a trained counsellor.**

“When I was younger, when I was about five. The loss of my mum not being around also dictated on my dad, as well.

So I’ll only share a little bit. My dad died when I was 10, and that’s when I knew that my life changed right then and there. So, I was suicidal. But then also with that, I overcame it. I went through homes and that but then also I’m married, too. I’ve got four kids. Two of them are mine, but two of them ain’t, but they’re still mine. I’ve been to jail, innocent man, but I was guilty, because I cheated on my wife, and that was it, but I’m still an innocent man. So, that relates to how Joseph was, in the Bible. He was an innocent man, but he knew the love that he had for his father, and how much love the father had for him. I know who I am and who I am today, because I’ve lived. I’ve been there. I’ve been through everything that everyone has and been around the world.

It’s about enjoying your life because you only live once, but while you only live once, you want to enjoy it as much as you can. But then saying that, it’s about your kids. It’s about the next generation of your blood line, but I’ve really broken mine. That’s all I can really share, but I am on a journey. I am on a mission. My mission for me, is about this nation, uniting everyone as one. I’m going to start my own party next year and it’s going to be Whānau First, which is family first, in English, but Whānau, because it’s Māori, and because I’m Māori as well, and I’m Cook Island, and this is Māori land. It’s about our nation first, and uniting as one. 

So, I grew up in Hastings. I grew up there for about 10 years, before I came here to Taranaki, but then Taranaki is where it started for me. That’s why people have to be lucky and be thankful and grateful that I’m here, because it all started here for me.”