Remembering John Hearne

We would like to take a moment to celebrate the life of John Hearne who passed away peacefully on the 25th of August. John joined the Pathway whānau in 2009 as Retreat Manager in the days when Pathway Retreat was used as a place for clients to begin their journey toward a fresh start. 

John and his wife Heather moved into a one bedroom unit at the retreat and began restoring it piece by piece, from buildings to grounds to drainage systems. When that work was done they began restoration work in the lives of the people who would come from various places looking for a fresh start. 

By the time they left at the end of 2014, they had made Pathway Retreat and it's residents an integral part of the Motukarara community and made a real difference in the lives of the many individuals they came in contact with. 

John was an unique individual, a self starter who didn't need a lot of direction. He had a huge work ethic and knew how to get things done, but still valued time with people above everything. He was a man of great faith who lived out that faith in service to others and made a difference in a lot of lives. It was a privilege to have had John at Pathway, he made a huge contribution to our work and helped shape who we are today.