A Hamilton māmā says she’s living in fear for her whānau and the wider community after her teenage son was attacked and stabbed outside Fraser High School earlier this week.
“It could’ve been such a different ball game. It’s been a lot to process - I feel like I live in my head,” says Lady Joe Tangata-Terekia, mother of 16-year-old Exodus.
Her son had just finished his lunch break and was heading to his car parked on Waimarie Street, right outside the school gates, when the attack occurred in broad daylight.
According to Tangata-Terekia, two carloads of men wearing balaclavas pulled up and surrounded him.
“There were six of them who tried to take him,” she says.
“He put his hand in his pocket and suddenly felt punches hitting his face. They were trying to pull him into one of the cars. It all happened so fast.”
Police were called to the scene, and Exodus was rushed to hospital, where he underwent emergency surgery for a perforated colon. He spent several days recovering before being discharged.
Since the attack, he has been recovering at home, but the emotional toll has been heavy. His mother says her son now struggles with anxiety and jumpiness that are completely out of character.
“He’s not one to escalate anything; he’s the peaceable person in our family,” Tangata-Terekia says.
The Hamilton community has rallied around the family, offering karakia, kai, and messages of support. But Tangata-Terekia says what’s needed most is for anyone with information to step forward.
She believes some people saw what happened or know who was involved, but are too scared or ashamed to speak up.
“My head was just in a panic, because when you hear, ‘It’s not good - it’s your son, it’s Exodus, he’s just been stabbed,’ not knowing what the result of that is, you just go into panic. They’re my world — my babies are my world.”
Despite the trauma, Tangata-Terekia says her whānau is choosing to hold onto hope.
“Life is exciting - so many blessings and so many things to live for. There’s a lot of evil and a lot of ugly out in the world, but for us as a whānau, it’s about continuing to be better, do better.”
