'Devoted' Father, 28, Who Was Expecting a New Baby, Dies on Beach After Sand Dune Suddenly Collapsed on Him — as His Kids Watched

A man died aft a soil dune abruptly collapsed connected him arsenic he was digging successful it.

Kane Watson, 28, was visiting Muriwai Beach, located astir 25 miles extracurricular Auckland, pinch his 18-month-old girl and 3 stepsons connected Saturday, Aug. 23, erstwhile nan calamity occurred, according to Radio New Zealand (RNZ) and nan New Zealand Herald.

The outlets reported that Watson was playing pinch nan children erstwhile nan dune collapsed connected apical of him astatine astir 5 p.m. section time, trapping him and leaving him calling retired for help.

The Auckland Rescue Helicopter Trust told RNZ that Watson was buried headfirst and was trapped for astir 15 minutes. His children began calling retired for thief and alerted respective witnesses. Rescue teams yet transported Watson to Auckland City Hospital, wherever he died connected Sunday, Aug. 24.

Police told RNZ that an investigation will beryllium carried retired connected behalf of nan coroner.

In a Givealittle fundraiser started by a family friend, Watson was remembered arsenic a "much-loved son, brother, partner and, supra all, a devoted father" who had a caller babe connected nan way.

"His top joyousness was being pinch his children — not only his own, but besides nan kids he cared for and loved arsenic if they were his own. Family was ever astatine nan very halfway of who he was," family friend Kristalle Tayler wrote alongside nan fundraiser, which has garnered thousands of dollars successful donations for Watson's ceremonial costs.

"Most heartbreakingly, his youngest child, owed early adjacent year, will ne'er get to meet him, but will turn up proceeding stories of nan unthinkable man who loved them earlier they were born," Taylor continued. "The suddenness of this mishap has near Kane's family shattered."

Speaking pinch RNZ, University of Auckland teacher Colin Whittaker said he hopes nan nationalist tin study much astir nan dangers of soil dunes pursuing nan incident.

"If you've sewage a large dune supra you and a batch of that collapses, you've perchance sewage thing that weighs arsenic overmuch arsenic an elephant collapsing connected apical of you," he told nan outlet. "That's evidently very damaging, but besides beautiful difficult to excavation yourself retired of, particularly if you're struggling for air."

According to Whittaker, soil dunes tin go unstable and illness successful seconds for a assortment of reasons, including being trim by waves, vehicles driving complete them, aliases group stepping connected them aliases digging into them.

"As soon arsenic you commencement trying to excavation personification out, arsenic you excavation a hole, nan soil fills it backmost in. It's incredibly challenging to do," he added.

As for Watson's family, they person told section outlets that they are "shattered" and still picking up nan pieces pursuing his death.

Never miss a communicative — motion up for PEOPLE's free regular newsletter to enactment up-to-date connected nan champion of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from personage news to compelling quality liking stories.

Watson’s sister Shaquille told section outlet Stuff that he was "her champion friend, her favourite person."

“He was conscionable an astonishing dad," Tayler added. "I conjecture that's wherever it's conscionable nan astir heartbreaking thing. All he ever wanted was to person his ain family, and it really does consciousness for illustration nan infinitesimal he sewage there, it was ripped distant from him.“