Auckland woman dies after horse-riding accident while on honeymoon in Vanuatu
Monday, 14 August 2017
A Kiwi author in her early 30s has died after a horse-riding accident while on her honeymoon in Vanuatu.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade confirmed on Monday that Auckland woman Joy Ramirez had died, and that consular assistance was being given to her family.
A ProMedical Vanuatu spokeswoman said Ramirez died following a horse-riding accident.
Ramirez was on Ratua on Saturday, a private island south of Espiritu Santo, when she came off a horse, the spokeswoman said.
She received blunt force trauma injuries to the abdomen, and was taken back to the mainland by boat for surgery.
General manager of Ratua Island Resort & Spa, Brett Fasher, said he was aware of the incident, but declined to comment further.
Ramirez had a background in singing and public relations in Auckland, Wellington, and Australia.
She described herself as an 'up-and-coming children's writer' on her website.
Her first book, titled Toot - the world's tiniest whale, was published in 2015.
Ramirez said she wrote it to empower children and ran an Instagram account featuring a figurine of the main character.
Its last post was from Vanuatu on August 10.
A post shared by Toot The World's Tiniest Whale (@tootthewhale) on Aug 10, 2017 at 3:48pm PDT
'I had a dream where I wanted to create a series of stories that would help to teach kids positive attitudes and social skills,' she said at the book's launch at Wymondley Road Primary School, Otara, two years ago.
'I think if you give kids those skills it empowers them to grow into themselves and be the best they can be'.
The spokeswoman said she believed Ramirez made it through surgery.
A charity named Project Jonah was mourning the loss of a person it described as a 'huge advocate' for marine mammals.
General manager Darren Grover said the charity worked with Ramirez in schools to promote conservation.
The author had been in the process of finishing her second book, which, like her first, was also expected to have themes about protecting the ocean.
'It was a real, total shock to read someone so young had been taken like that,' said Grover.
'She had a passion for engaging children and younger generations. The messages really came across, and they were really important.
'Anyone who met her could feel her positivity and drive.'
Ramirez worked for TVNZ as a project manager for five months until May this year.
A spokesperson for TVNZ said Ramirez had a 'vibrant, caring personality' and was a 'great creative talent'.
'Her passion for acting, singing and writing was clear in her work,' they said.
'This is a tragic loss and our thoughts are with her husband, family and friends'.
A spokesperson for Tile Warehouse, where Ramirez was a 'company ambassador', said she was 'taken far too soon'.
'Joy was a lovely person and her beautiful nature shone through in both our TV advertisements and collateral,' the company said in a post to Facebook.
'We send our love and thoughts to Joy's husband, family and friends at this sad time'.
A relative declined to comment and said the family would be releasing a statement through the police.
A ministry spokesperson said further information about Ramirez' death was currently unable to be provided due to privacy considerations.