A large Waihi family grappling with the loss of their eldest son, John Balchin, is drawing on their Christian faith to carry them through.

John Balchin, 18, was found dead in the Waihou River on September 24 – the day after he had run from his parents' vehicle near Puriri.

John Balchin.

John was their first born son, second child out of nine, says his mother Christine.

His father David Balchin is the minister at St James Presbyterian Church, Waihi.

'Gentle John really sums up John,” says Christine. 'He's a lovely Christ-like character, humble and gentle and kind. He had a lovely empathy for other people.

'Still waters run deep. He could sit there, empathise with people where they were at. Whoever came across his path he would look them in the eye. He had the time of day for them, he just accepted them for who they were.

'He loved people so much. He was kind and humble. I don't think he had a high estimation of himself. He had a lot of joy in giving out to other people,” says Christine.

'A wonderful sense of humour; a bit of a dry sense of humour there. Pretty impish with his brothers and sisters. A typical boy growing up in his family, constantly rough and tumbling with his brothers Will and Andrew.”

John left his family home for the first time in February to study for a Batchelor of Arts at the University of Otago. He'd passed NCEA at Waihi College with merit. In Dunedin he flatted with his older sister Jean. The then 17-year-old returned home in May.

'He just came back because the changes were too overwhelming it was just too much for him,” says Christine. 'He came home, withdrew from university. He was doing some local jobs here.

'I think he was struggling to adjust with all the changes of leaving home, flying down to Dunedin and staying in Dunedin without being able just hop on the plane and fly home.

'He was also very young. He didn't turn 18 till May this year. You can also you can always know in hindsight. We've never had an 18-year-old son. Some people can cope or struggle harder.”

Back in Waihi John was doing odd jobs and looking at going to a bible school.

John was also looking at doing some Christian camp leadership training with the Narrows Park Christian camp – where his brothers and sisters are spending part of the current school holidays following the funeral.

'That's what we were hoping for John,” says Christine. 'He would have made a superb youth leader because he had such a heart for children. One quote on his school report was he had a heart as big as an ox.

'He loved Jesus. He had a heart for the Lord, and I think he had a heart for other people. He rededicated his life to Jesus in the Elim church in Dunedin earlier this year.

'He would also share with people. He would talk to people about his faith in Jesus and his character spoke volumes.”

John was being driven by his parents to an appointment in Thames, when he decided he didn't want to go. When his parents stopped the car near Puriri, he ran off across farmland and wasn't seen alive again in spite of extensive police searches. His body was found the following day on the Waihou River mudflats.

'We are just trusting that he's safe in the arms of Jesus,” says Christine. 'Our whole family including the children take that solace. We are looking forward to seeing him again in heaven. It's not goodbye, it's au revoir.

'We know John is in a better place. John is just ecstatically happy. We are not; but we want to honour him by being a blessing to his friends and all the people he had contact with.

'His funeral was a beautiful testimony to his faith in Jesus. His whole extended family came and led worship.

Christine says John had a strong love of Jesus and talking about Jesus and showing the love of Christ by his beautiful, gentle Christ-like nature. 'He wasn't perfect. He knew he was a sinner like everyone else, but he had an over-riding gentle soul, able bless other people by being kind, caring and compassionate.”

Police are still investigating the circumstances of John's death and are asking anyone who saw someone fitting his description between 2pm Tuesday afternoon and lunchtime Wednesday to contact Thames Police on 07 211 6224.