Former Kiwi Fern Kathleen Wharton dies at 41

Kathleen Wharton competes for the New Zealand Maori Ferns in 2020.
Photograph: photography sport

Kathleen Wharton, a woman’s warrior on and off the field, has passed away at the age of 41.

Wharton represented the Kiwi Ferns 14 times between 2008-19, winning the World Cup, and played 3 NRLW matches for the Warriors in 2019.

Wharton also led the Healthy Families Northern Territory, where she dedicated herself to improving the lives of local tamariki.

Her husband Andrew paid tribute to his late wife on social media: “Words cannot express the pain we feel for the loss of my beloved Kath. She touched so many lives and worked tirelessly for our tamariki, for our people.”

A colleague of Wharton’s at HFN, Talei Anderson, told RNZ she was an incredibly strong woman and always put whānau at the forefront in everything she did.

“She was a leader, she was a protector, she was all about Tino rangatiratanga, she was passionate, she was our big sister, our indispensable woman and I can’t imagine what life would look like here without this place, it’s truly heartbreaking.”

Anderson said youth and whānau were at the forefront of everything they did.

“He changed so many lives, he touched so many people in Northland, he would go all the way and come back so we could have our mahi, he was an amazing person.

He was always in favor of giving our rangatahi and tamariki opportunities to develop. “It’s a huge loss for everyone here.”

In a post to social media, the Warriors wrote: “We are deeply shocked and saddened by the passing of NRLW Warrior Kath Wharton.

“Beyond her many achievements on the rugby league field, Kath was a genuine, kind and beautiful person with a big heart for her whānau, rugby league and the people of Northland. Our thoughts go out to Kath’s husband, children, friends and whānau at this difficult time.” rā e te māreikura.”

Wharton retired from rugby league following the 2013 World Cup to focus on his work with troubled youth and raising his family.

She returned in 2019 to join the newly formed Warriors women.

“When I was watching last year I thought ‘hmmm – I wonder if I can still do this?’ “I was thinking,” he said at the time.

His social media was filled with tributes to the former international.

One wrote: “A special soul taken too soon.”

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