The father of a 19-year-old Edmonton area man who died while vacationing in New Zealand is remembering his son as an adventurer who “lived to the fullest.”
New Zealand police report that a 19-year-old man died in a Wellington Hospital after falling from a central Wellington building.
Darryl Bates, confirmed his son Tyler Bates slipped and fell while free climbing in Wellington, New Zealand. He died in hospital on Monday.
Tyler had been living in Parkland County near Stony Plain before travelling with two friends on a month-long vacation to explore New Zealand.
“He was coming here for one month to check it all out and see how it was,” said Darryl Bates by telephone from New Zealand. “And if he liked it, he was going to come back to Canada and get his visa paperwork and move here.”
Bates describes his son as an outgoing adventurer and avid fan of snowboarding and mountain biking. He had recently been surfing and skydiving.
Tyler Bates sits on a cliff above New Chums Beach, near Whangapoua, New Zealand. (Supplied/Darryl Bates)
“He pushed his friends to experience life. He was never sitting still. Always always on the go. So him coming to New Zealand was perfect for him,” he said.
In Edmonton, Tyler worked for a ventilation company as a sheet metal worker. Tyler loved adventures and wanted to explore the world.
“We are so glad that he pushed it to the limits and had made those memories and made those memories for other people that we are not able to do,” Darryl Bates said.
“He definitely lived to the fullest.”
Tyler’s death was shocking and tragic for Bates, but his son’s adventures have inspired him to plan to travel as a tribute.
“I think we’re going to take some time to travel and spread the word of what he was about and go tell people who he was and take him with us,” said Darryl Bates.
Tyler was a hockey player who recently played for the Edmonton Royals Jr. B hockey team, and previously for the South Side Athletic Club.
Thoughts and prayers to the friends and family of former <a href=”https://twitter.com/SSACHockey?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@SSACHockey</a> (2012-2017) player Tyler Bates whose life was cut way too short while on vacation in New Zealand <a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/RIPBates?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#RIPBates</a> <a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/TB14?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#TB14</a>
—@SSACHockey
The family has been getting a lot of support from people who knew Tyler.
“All the love and support from home has been unbelievable,” Darryl Bates said. “We can’t believe how many people Tyler has touched and they’re now touching us.”
Tyler is probably one of the nicest and kind souls I’ve ever met– Rhyse Hoover
Rhyse Hoover was friends with Tyler for years.The two attended high school together and played hockey as teammates.
“Tyler is probably one of the nicest and kind souls I’ve ever met,” Hoover said. “I love the 10 years of friendship that him and I shared.”
Tyler Bates played for the Midget A Seera Icemen in 2017. (Supplied/ Darryl Bates)
Darryl Bates is in Wellington with plans to transport Tyler’s body back to Alberta and have a funeral in the Edmonton area.
Bates said Tyler was an organ donor, and his organs have already been donated to five people in New Zealand.