Mother's tribute to lost daughter

Jazmine Jones-Collings was a young woman who loved animals and her family, so much so that she dedicated her life to giving back to them.

Her family has paid tribute to the Whanganui 20-year-old who died in a crash at Waitotara on Sunday, June 14.

For two years Jazmine had volunteered at the Whanganui SPCA, working with the sick animals and nursing them back to health while cleaning their cages and giving them cuddles.

After finishing up at the centre she would return home, where she lived with her grandfather and his wife, to look after her granddad.

Jazmine's mother, Jessica Jones, remembers when her daughter got her SPCA fundraising T-shirt and was excited and proud to get out into the community and advocate for her furry friends.

"She just had so much compassion and empathy for animals."

Both at the centre and at home, her life was filled with animals and she cared for her rabbits, guinea pigs, kittens, birds, cats and chickens.

"She absolutely loved her chickens," Jones said.

"She was a very dedicated vegan, she was all about eating healthy and everything to be eco-friendly."

Jazmine was excited about her plan to participate in the SPCA's annual Jump to Rescue on August 1, where she would do a skydive in Taupō to raise money for the charity.

**Now her sister Athena will do the jump in Jazmine's honour while holding her ashes. **

Jones said the fundraising page was still active and in lieu of flowers at Jazmine's funeral people have the option to donate to the SPCA.

The family also plans to have vegan-friendly food at the funeral reception in her honour.

Jazmine spent her first five years in Christchurch, where she was born, and then moved with her family to Whanganui where she attended Castlecliff then Gonville primary schools.

For intermediate, she attended Rutherford Junior High School before going to Whanganui High School where she was very academic, Jones said.

For three years she learnt Chinese through High School's Confucius classroom where she was awarded the Confucius Award, and in 2014 she travelled to China for two weeks on a school exchange.

While in China she visited the Great Wall of China and learnt how to make authentic Chinese dumplings.

Travelling as much as possible was one of the goals in Jazmine's five-year plan, Jones said.

Jazmine had also written down that she hoped to run a successful online business, be healthy mentally and physically while living with Lupus and to give back to the family and friends who had helped her, while still volunteering at an animal welfare centre.

Jones said she was very family orientated and they had returned from a trip to Fiji just before the Covid-19 lockdown.

Jazmine absolutely loved it, Jones said, as she got to hand feed the turtles, and went snorkelling and exploring.

"She was right in her element, she loved it.

"Jazmine was a quiet girl but she had a handful of friends that she would love to go to do things with, a walk down the beach was one of her fave things to do.

"Myself, her sister Athena and brother Axel will miss her dearly but forever be in our hearts," Jones said.

Jazmine's funeral service will be held at the Forrest Lawn Chapel at 1.30pm today.

Lucy Drake
Whanganui Chronicle 24/6/20