‘We'll never know the answer’: Family lose father and son in water tank tragedy

A father and son who died in a Mangawhai home after a water tank incident have been remembered by family as quiet, hard-working men who were “loved by many”.

Keith James Sisson, 78, and James Martin Sisson, 52, were found dead on Tuesday morning inside a water tank at James’ home in Mangawhai.

Stace Sisson, who is grieving the loss of his father and older brother, told the Herald he believes they were fixing a leak inside the water tank before summer that had been previously patched up and succumbed to fumes from the petrol-powered water pump.

“Dad was a diesel engineer on fishing boats for most of his life so he knew the danger of fumes,” he said. “Knowing my father and my brother, I would assume that they pumped out the water and left what they thought was appropriate time for any venting.

“We’ll never know the answer to [what happened].”

Sisson said no one had seen or heard from either of them since Sunday, causing family concern. They were discovered about 8.30am on Tuesday by a family friend, who called emergency services.

Keith (left) and James Sisson were found dead inside a water tank in a Mangawhai home on Tuesday morning. Photo / Stace Sisson

He said emergency services and the coroner believed they may have died of asphyxiation, but no official cause of death has yet been determined.

Sisson, who is based in Auckland, said he is “hurting” because he was meant to be there with them but needed to repair damage to his vehicle from a previous accident.

“[Dad] was up for a hip operation and he wanted us to to have a look at this leak and repair it.

“I wasn’t there which causes me a bit of grief because I feel like if I had made it there maybe they wouldn’t be dead, you know, and things might be different.”

Sisson said “dad and James will be really missed” by their small immediate family, which includes wife and mum Jenni, grandson and nephew Jason, and Keith’s twin brother Dennis, and “our extended family of friends”.

He described his father as a “rough little bugger” with a big beard who was “loved by so many people”.

Keith Sisson spent a lot of his life at sea. Photo / Stace Sisson

“You could call him a community celebrity down there, almost a legend. A lot of people knew him.

“He’s been at sea most of his life and he’s touched the lives of so many people in many walks of life from young to old. He knew a lot of people and he just loved the interaction with people.

“He’s the unofficial granddad and dad and uncle to so many young people out there in New Zealand and around the world.”

He remembered James, a stonemason and “quarry man”, as a “quiet, hard-working guy” who was “always there to help people out”.

“He gave a lot of his time improving people’s houses and stuff like that … Though he didn’t have kids of his own, all the kids in our family just loved him.

“My father had a heart attack a few years ago, and I wasn’t around to be helpful, and James spent a lot of time down there with him. Even though they batted heads a bit, he was always there helping Dad out.”

James Sisson was popular with children in the family. Photo / Stace Sisson

He said his dad was based in Mangawhai, while James lived with their mum in Whangārei.

“Mum’s taking it twice as hard. Especially in a few weeks when everyone’s gone and the house is going to be a bit quiet.”

Stace thanked everyone who had reached out to the family and invited anyone who knew his dad and brother to the funeral on Tuesday next week.

“Everyone’s been very sincere about their condolences and how they’ve missed my father and my brother. It’s been just beautiful and it’s been really humbling. We’re very grateful.”

A viewing will take place at 10.30am on October 27 at the Maunu Crematorium in Whangārei, followed by a funeral service and cremation.

Sisson said he hopes to finish building a 120-year-old kauri boat his dad was restoring as a passion project.

“Unfortunately, I didn’t get it finished with him so he could enjoy it before he passed away. So that’s the job over the next year is to finish that so we can distribute his ashes at Waiheke Island where he grew up.”