Parents share story of grief

FATAL: The modified Subaru Impreza in which 18-year-old Nathan Laurenson died in 2009 in a crash that also claimed the life of his best mate and fellow passenger, Udo Fourie, 18. PHOTOS/SUPPLIED

BEST MATES: Eighteen-year-old friends Udo Fourie (left) and Nathan Laurenson were celebrating the 18th birthday of Udo on the day they were both killed in a tragic high-speed crash.

By Nathan Crombie

nathan.crombie@age.co.nz

The parents of a Porirua teenager killed with his best mate in a high-speed car crash are to speak in Masterton about the aftermath of the tragedy.

Brent and Christine Laurenson lost their son Nathan Laurenson, 18, in a car crash in Plimmerton in 2009 that also claimed the life of Udo Fourie, also 18.

Nathan and Udo had been at the beach celebrating Udo's birthday and had afterwards travelled as passengers in a modified Subaru Impreza with 22-year-old Nathan Cupit, who they barely knew, behind the wheel.

Cupit lost control of the car at high speed and struck another vehicle. Nathan died at the scene and Udo died soon afterwards. Cupit survived and was sentenced to seven months' home detention.

On the two-year anniversary, Mr and Mrs Laurenson launched The Ripple Effect, a presentation featuring a 20-minute DVD outlining the impact of the crash on them, their son's girlfriend Mel Lind and two of his mates.

In association with the Wairarapa Road Safety Council (WRSC) Mr Laurenson will next week target Year 11 to 13 students at every college in Masterton.

The couple also will host a parent's evening at Masterton Town Hall on March 13 that will run for two hours from 7pm, said WRSC co-ordinator Kerry Hefferen.

"Mr Laurenson would like to share some of his experience with other parents, his hope is of course to spare others from having to deal with the loss and grief that comes as a result of such a tragic crash."

Ms Hefferen said the evening aims to "encourage parents to remain involved in their teenagers' lives and heighten awareness of the vulnerability of our young people".

The graduated driver licensing process will also be explained to parents, Ms Hefferen said.

Two Carterton teenagers died in separate road crashes in the region last month. Former Chanel College student Tegan Moyes, 16, died in Wellington Hospital of injuries received three days earlier when she was thrown from a car that rolled on the southern approach to the Opaki overbridge soon after 3pm on February 21.

The death came a week after 15-year-old Carterton schoolgirl Grace Diedrichs was killed when she was thrown from a car that collided with a passenger train at the Wiltons Rd level crossing.

Entry to the parents' evening will cost a gold coin donation that will be passed on to the Students Against Drunk Drivers organisation, Mrs Hefferen said.

More information about The Ripple Effect can be viewed at: www.therippleeffect.org.nz