Tributes pour in after sudden death of Titirangi community stalwart Rob Teina

Teina died on Wednesday – three days after turning 40.

Daredevil Jiu Jitsu mourned him on social media, saying: “Whether it was at training, on the sidelines at competitions, or travelling with us on international adventures, Rob was always there.

“The mats won’t feel the same. The sidelines won’t sound the same. Our Daredevil family won’t be the same.”

Titirangi Primary School, which is attended by two of his children, published a tribute on social media, describing him as “a cherished part of our school family”.

New Zealand Grappler, which runs jiu jitsu tournaments, said his “sudden passing has shaken everyone who had the privilege of knowing you”.

Teina was involved with several sports clubs and had sponsored some of them through Supreme Plumbing.

His son played for Bay Olympic Football Club, which said Teina was “one of the greatest sideline supporters our club has ever known”.

Yesterday morning, the club honoured him at Crum Park by bringing players, coaches and supporters together for two minutes of silence.

His friend Onny Kaulima said the timing of the death was “cruel” but it also meant that Teina’s family members, who had flown from overseas to celebrate his milestone birthday, could also attend his funeral.

Kaulima had known Teina for 20 years and said the pair had become “inseparable” over the past decade.

He described Teina as a “giant child at heart” and a “lovable rogue” who “swore like a trooper” but was “generous to another level”.

He said Teina had been with Violet since high school and was the “greatest dad”.

Kaulima and Tom Kerrison, Teina’s business partner, told the Herald he had loved to give people a chance, or leg up, especially “underdogs”.

“He had very high expectations of everybody, but also gave them such opportunities.”

Kerrison joined Supreme Plumbing in its early days and built the business up with Teina, which he called “a privilege”.

He said the company’s motto was “more than a day job”, which reflected how much Teina poured himself into it.

Kerrison said Teina made it a point to invite every new employee to his home to meet his family, and would go out of his way “to do anything for them”.

Teina built “amazing relationships” with suppliers and manufacturers that were “genuine and impossible to fake”, he said.

“Supreme was his everything. It’s his legacy that we have a responsibility to carry on with.”

A public celebration of Teina’s life will be held at Suburbs Rugby Football Club on Monday morning, with his family privately laying him to rest later that day.

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