Dear Ants You were a huge ray of sunshine that lit up any room. You were a truly beautiful natured soul and one of a kind. I'm so glad I got to spend quality time with you recently.I will miss you dearly and love you so so much xxx rest in peace my wonderful cousin ❤️ Love Kate xxx

Thinking of you all, Mark, Raewyn & Families, at this very sad time. Sending our love & our 'Deepest Sympathy,' to you. From our family, to yours. Love & Best Wishes. Regards, Pat & Grant Aikman. Ian, Karen & Tina. xxx

Photo as mentioned in tribute below 💕

Ants, You will be missed and you were a great friend to me for years. I loved catching up with you recently and sharing our memories together. You are kind, loving and such a caring selfless soul. Rest in love buddy ❤️ 💙 Hayley

Rest in peace, dear cousin. Though life took us down different paths and we lost touch over the years, I'm grateful that we were brought back together in 2022, although it was under very difficult circumstances. In the short time we reconnected, I was reminded of your kind, nurturing, compassionate nature, and I'll always treasure the messages we shared and hold them close to my heart. I will always remember as children, Mum taking Quentin, Aaron and I to your place in the school holidays. We were given a special holiday treat and taken to the shops where we could choose something from the toy department. I have attached a photo below of us at Nana and Pa's where we enjoyed swims and a drink of 'tang'. We had a laugh over this pic recently when you said you thought you'd "pooped your pants lol" and I said that was Aaron in the nappies. You're the cute one next to the pool. Your passing leaves a gaping hole in the lives of all who loved you, and I'm still trying to come to terms with the sudden loss. You may be gone, but your memory will live on through me and our family. Farewell, dear Anthony. May you rest in peace. Your cousin Lara 💕

I am heartbroken to hear about Ants passing. I am sending all my love and thoughts to family and friends during this difficult time. Growing up, some of my happiest memories were spent with Ants during Christmas, school holidays, and family parties. Fun times were always guaranteed—we’d often entertain ourselves with mischievous antics and share endless laughter. Those childhood moments are treasures I’ll hold close forever. As we got older, the fun times didn’t stop. I’ll always remember working together at Tasman Liquor in our early 20s, doing booze deliveries, and having a blast along the way. Ants had this fearless streak—like the time he took a detour to the Hutt Riverbank after a downpour, showing off his handbrake skills and tearing up the grass with donuts, I laughed so hard I cried. In recent years, his kindness and compassion meant so much to me during some of my most challenging times. Even though decades had passed since we’d last spoken, reconnecting felt as though no time had gone by at all. Ants reached out with genuine care, offering comfort and understanding when I needed it most. I’m so grateful for the meaningful video chats we shared, where we could open up and truly support one another. I’ll never forget his bold character, his cheekiness, and that unmistakable sense of humour. Beneath it all was an incredibly caring and kind heart. Rest in peace, dear Ants. Your kindness, laughter, and love will always live in our hearts. You’ll be deeply missed. Love, Cousin Aaron x