Former soldier now finding healing in the snow three decades after Mt Ruapehu tragedy

The men were caught in a blizzard, and he was one of two who trekked 11 hours to raise the alarm. Only seven returned that day. 

“It was meant to be adventure training and it turned into snow survival.”

Mr Tavake was awarded in the New Zealand Bravery Medal for his actions that day.

“It was just something that happened, and that I did for my fellow man.”

He will compete with the 19-strong New Zealand Team at the Invictus Games in Whistler and Vancouver, Canada in February.

In August last year, 34 years after the tragedy, Mr Tavake went to Mt Ruapehu and the snow with the Invictus team for the first time.

“I hadn’t been up to the snow since then. I had no reason to go up there knowing what happened to me up there all those years ago. 

“It just brought back all those memories. It all came back to me. Even though I was only 22 years old, I can still remember the majority of it like it was yesterday.

“It is always there, it never leaves my mind.”

He said that when he travels to Canada there will be an element of healing.

“We have had a memorial every five years since the incident. During each of those I’ve been able to attend I’ve been able to add a layer of healing from each one.

“So when I go to Canada, to the snow, there will be yet another layer of to that. Just to be there, let along fight the mental demons of that incident, will be incredibly healing.

“I am not by any means saying that I am done (in my recovery), because I’m not. There are peaks and valleys in this journey, but I am so grateful to be part of this Invictus whanau, and I am looking forward to more healing to be done,” he said.

Mr Tavake sustained frost bite to his left hand from the incident, and while it doesn’t affect him too much, he does have limited range of movement.

“I can’t make a full fist and don’t have 100 per cent function of my hand, however I am still able to operate. I try not to focus on it even though I know it’s there, I focus on the full being of what is good of me.

“I'm just grateful to be still alive to be honest.”

Following the incident he stayed in NZ Army for another five years, but ultimately his injury did limit what he could do.

“I was getting pulled out of the field, because of my frost bite. I could really only give 80 per cent if not less than that, and it gutted me, because I loved doing what I did.”

Mr Tavake was part of the 2023 Invictus Team in Dusseldorf, Germany. He didn’t think he qualified but was encouraged by some friends to apply.

“I was encouraged by two mates who had gone before to apply for the Games. I was keen as mustard and it was really good for me to see how far I could push myself mentally and physically.

“I was told the difference it made in another mate that had come back from the Games - I was really inspired to check it out and see.”

He said being of the Invictus whānau was amazing and this time he hopes to pass on his experiences to the new members of the team.

“I am very humbled and appreciative to be part of the team again. Invictus has provided me with belief, confidence in myself, and the opportunity to part of this community.

“I think that is amazing to have a community to come back to after leaving the military. I joined the Army in 1985 at the age of 17, I have the Army in the blood. Take the boy out of the Army, but can’t take the Army out of the boy.

“For me I hope to share some wisdom and experiences from my time at the Germany games but also life in general. Also, share my experiences of my journey on how I’ve been able to get through some of those peaks and valleys both mentally and physically.

“I want to give to all the new people that are part of this campaign, because they are the ones that’ll continue this well beyond my time with Invictus.

“I am still here, and I could have easily not been,” he said.

Mr Tavake will compete in the skeleton, biathlon, and the core Invictus sports of rowing and wheelchair rugby.

He said he was looking forward to going to Canada as it has always been on his bucket list, but also back in the Invictus Games environment.

“I am planning on giving it my all, having fun, and above all come back a better version of myself then when I left.

“I’ll be representing those guys that didn’t make it 34 years ago.”