Kiwi woman Joy Ramirez dies on honeymoon in Vanuatu

The New Zealand woman reported to have died at the Northern Provincial Hospital (NPH) at Luganville on Santo in Vanuatu has been named as Joy Ramirez.

The New Zealand Herald newspaper reported that the young New Zealand woman died while on her honeymoon in Vanuatu.

“Aucklander Joy Ramirez’s family and friends are in shock at the death of the high-flyer who ran her own media company and has written a children’s book.

“Ramirez married her husband Matt in March and it’s understood the couple had been in the island nation on their honeymoon this week, when Ramirez died in an accident,” the NZ Herald reported.

A New Zealand High Commission in Port Vila spokesperson said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade is providing consular assistance to the family.

“As well as being a published author, Ramirez, who had a bachelor of communications majoring in television production from Auckland University of Technology, has worked in events, marketing, PR and sponsorship management in Auckland, Wellington and Australia.

“She also has a background as a singer and songwriter and was working on developing a sequel to her first children’s book, Toot — The World’s Tiniest Whale, which was published in 2015.”

The NZ Herald quoted Newstalk ZB host Tim Roxborogh who remembered the first day he met Ramirez in their communications class at the Auckland University of Technology.

“I was amazed at how beautiful this person called Joy was. If ever somebody embodied the name their parents chose for them it was her. She was so positive, so full of possibilities, so full of joy.”

He said hearing the news Ramirez had died was “heartbreaking” and he wanted to pass on his condolences to the family.

“The Toot the whale Instagram account shows Ramirez travelling with a knitted whale smaller than the size of her thumbnail.

“A post from four days ago shows Toot ‘playing castaway on an island picnic in paradise!’,” the newspaper said.

Ramirez was reported to have sustained an injury on Ratua Island off Luganville, some say from a horse-riding accident, last Friday and was admitted to Medical Santo in Luganville on Saturday morning. On Saturday evening she was admitted to NPH for emergency operation.

Dr. Basil Leodoro confirmed that after a two-to-three hour operation her condition deteriorated and she died on Sunday morning.