Arthur Simoneau was found near the doorway of his Topanga home, apparently trying to defend it from the Palisades fire.

“It was always in the back of our heads that he would die in spectacular Arthur fashion ... Gary Mell. The hang-gliding world, his friends said, had lost one of its pioneers.

That’s what keeps Kāeo man Tom Kellner in the air hang gliding, a sport he loves and has brought him some success - winning the Open Class in the NZ Hang Gliding Championship in Murchison.