In Memory of David Lehane

Name: David Rawiri Lehane Age: 29 Occupation: Labourer Place of Birth: Wellington, New Zealand Date of Birth: 13th December, 1975 Hair: Dark, kept shaggy Eyes: Hazel Height: 6’ Weight: 165 lbs Distinguishing features: Several scars on his body and a tattoo of a Manaia on his right shoulder. Hobbies: Maori culture, rock music, drinking, gambling, rugby, diving. Languages: English, Maori Family: Mother, Skye Lehane. Father, David Lehane. Seat: 21 A

Background: David Rawiri Lehane was born in Wellington, New Zealand. His parents were both drinkers, and he often spent hours in the basement, avoiding his parents. His father was out most of the day drinking, whenever he wasn’t slapping his mother around, and his mother would either tell him that she loved him and then hit him, or the other way around. David would often run away, and when he did he always ended up visiting an old Maori woman who taught him little things that ended up being very useful in his adult life. When David was 7, social services took him into their system after he had ended up in hospital. His mother had gotten angry with him and knocked him down the stairs, resulting in a broken arm. David ended up in foster homes, but the normal family life was so bizarre to him that he simply couldn’t make it. He ran away, and was sent from one foster home to another until he was fourteen. He finally had enough and ran away altogether, finding his way to Auckland.

To survive, David started stealing. It started with picking pockets and small break-ins, but over time it developed to more serious offences. Mr Navarre, a police officer, felt sorry for the boy and made sure that he didn’t get punished in any other way than being forced to return what he had taken. Whenever people started to chase him he hid in the bush, building shelters and surviving well enough until he returned into the city. But when he was 19 things changed. Navarre had retired and David was caught for breaking into a house and stealing things worth 5000 New Zealand dollars. He was sentenced to 2 years in prison, due to resisting arrest and hitting the arresting officer, breaking his nose. It was in prison that David saw where his life could lead. He didn’t want to spend his years in a prison cell. Instead, he swore that he’d walk the straight and narrow as soon as he got out. And once outside, David was faced with having to get a job when having a criminal record and a lack of education. He started taking stray jobs, helping on farms or taking the jobs no one else wanted. It was hard work, and the lack of second chances made him more and more bitter over the next years of his life. Yet, he had a small flat and played on a rugby team, as well as spending time reading everything he could about the Maori culture.

It was his Aussie friend Anthony that got him a plane ticket to Japan, under the pretence that they would catch up on old times. After three days there he gave David a ticket to Seattle, telling him he’d meet him there. Little did David know that he’d be smuggling cocaine for his friend… David Rawiri Lehane went missing after his flight disappeared on the way to Seattle.

Special notes: Rawiri is a Maori version of David, and David only lets his closest friends call him it. David has a tattoo of a Manaia, which is a Maori Spiritual Guardian, Provider, and protector over the air, waters and land. The manaia is a supernatural being, an iwi guardian, to ward off danger, to frighten away intruders. The manaia is a bird-like figure, a spiritual and mythical creature. The figures are usually depicted in side profile - part in the spiritual world, part in this. David’s manaia has a human-shaped face and a bird-like body with a long tail. It is outlined in black, with black patters.

Player's Contact: Adam