A father of four, Kane Watson, died in front of his children after a sand dune suddenly collapsed in New Zealand. On August 23, 2025, Watson, 28, was playing with his 18-month-old daughter and three stepsons at Muriwai Beach about 5 p.m., the Daily Mail reported. He was digging in the sand when the dune collapsed — causing the kids to scream, according to witnesses — before they and his partner, Jasmine, frantically tried digging him out. He was buried completely in sand for 15 minutes.
Watson was flown to Auckland City Hospital in a critical condition after being buried head-first by the collapsed dune, RNZ reported. Sadly, he died on Sunday night. A family friend, Kristalle Tayler, created a Givealittle campaign to benefit Watson’s partner and children.
“Kane was a much-loved son, brother, partner and, above all, a devoted father,” Tayler wrote in the page’s description. “His greatest joy was being with his children — not only his own, but also the kids he cared for and loved as if they were his own. Family was always at the very centre of who he was.”
Additionally, Tayler noted that Watson and Jasmine were expecting their second child together. The baby is “due early next year, will never get to meet him, but will grow up hearing stories of the incredible man who loved them before they were born,” she wrote on the page.
Tayler continued, “The suddenness of this accident has left Kane’s family shattered. To have witnessed such a tragedy and now face life without him is almost unbearable. Alongside their grief, they are also facing the financial strain of funeral costs and related expenses … Kane’s absence leaves a hole that can never be filled, but with your kindness his family can be carried through the darkest days ahead.”
Thus far, It’s raised nearly $20,000, double its goal.
Watson’s sister, Shaquille, told Stuff that her brother’s death “completely shattered her.”
“He was just an amazing dad,” she shared. “I guess that’s where it’s like just the most heartbreaking thing.”
