By JONATHON HOWARD
NOOSA Pengari Stiener School has described teacher Andre Vogel as a devoted father and passionate teacher in an official statement following Andre’s death last month.
Andre, 36, and 16-year-old Gabriel Runge were killed when the van they were travelling in collided with a truck on New Zealand’s north island on Friday 24 November.
The school has since issued a statement in tribute to Andre and they are expected to release a statement about Gabriel in the new year.
“To meet Andre was to meet a man with a mission: one we have been blessed to witness unfolding. His deep love of the outdoors, and passion for the opportunities it gave to young people, were evident by the words he spoke, the camps he devised and by the sparkle in his eye.
“With Andre, adventure didn’t have a finishing time and no four walls could pen him in. He knew that to live a life predominantly indoors was to live in a box, and that is no way to live a healthy life. As one of his T-shirts proudly proclaimed: ‘Think outside, no box required!’
“Andre had a tremendously broad appreciation of ways to get involved with nature: from snowboarding to surfing, climbing mountains, exploring caves, hiking and camping, running,biking, swimming, kayaking on white water, still water or sea water; the list goes on and the list was forever growing. His sense of adventure was contagious. He opened people’s eyes and hearts to the outdoors. Here he found, as Shakespeare put it, ‘tongues in trees, books in the running brooks, sermons in stones and good in everything’.
“This perception he shared freely and eloquently with others. Camps with Andre offered large amounts of learning in small amounts of time. He had the gift of making magical moments happen: a sunrise breakfast at the top of a large mountain with hot chocolate for everyone, a sunset walk with snow on the mountains, a fruit platter made on the hatch-cover of a kayak, a close encounter with a whale or visiting the cave of a white owl.
“He cared deeply for that environment and was acutely aware of our impact upon it. When packing up camp not the tiniest scrap was left behind; and all he took from it was joy, inspiration and beautiful photos.
“Through his eyes many came to a fuller appreciation of nature’s beauty.
Children saw him as fun and funny, the best camp teacher ever, someone who helped them to achieve the impossible; a fantastic and respectful teacher, quick and generous with his encouragement, firm when necessary, gentle when needed.
“They remember his morning wake up songs, his bird calls, and his playfulness. He understood children so well as within him was also a young child, alive and open. He brought so much love and happiness, good laughs and friendship.
“Many knew him for only a year or two, yet he seemed like an old colleague. His passion for helping people to learn about themselves, others and the environment was a source of inspiration to those of us working alongside him. His stories of adventure could make you feel you’d been missing out on life; but then inspire you to live such a life.
“His passion for cooking wholesome and delicious food complemented the overall nourishment he sought to give.
“He made personal sacrifices to get the outdoor education program set up, in particular to acquire the equipment needed. He put much love, energy and time into establishing the program for our children and then extending it further to allow similar experiences for parents.
“All this only happened because of his tenacity and drive. He made a tremendous effort to fine-tune the camps to meet the developmental needs of the students: he always knew why he was doing what he was doing. May his legacy continue.
“Andre was a devoted father. He could be seen arriving at school under pedal-power with two thrilled daughters in tow behind, or together with his girls, one asleep on his shoulder and one hugging his leg, as he finished off paperwork, prepared food supplies or loaded kayaks. He believed that children are so capable and that each child is unique. He created opportunities that respected and built upon that uniqueness. He would say, ‘it’s just a hill’ or ‘sometimes the hardest part is starting’- always patient, always encouraging.
“He had an unwavering belief in people: recently one of his daughters was leaving for home with her Dad; he asked her to get something from preschool which she’d forgotten. Instantly she scaled the fence and a moment later a car seat is thrown over the gate, with the cry, ‘Dad, I’ve got it!’
“Andre was a truly incredible man, the salt of the earth. The rocks, the sea, the winds and the sun all shaped his brow, skilled his hand, and built his strength. The elements do mourn the parting of this earth man, the one with the cheeky grin.
“He believed that the best approach to life is to live it, every part of it. And that is exactly what he did. He will be sadly missed; the spiritual world is lucky to have such a bright, warm, courageous, energetic and generous spirit to light the way.”
