Angel Gabrielle ' I WAS THERE FOR MY DYING HERO'

When her beloved neighbour Bob was told he was terminal, this amazing young woman dedicated herself to his last year of care

- Karyn Henger

"I'd do it 100 times over," says Gabrielle, who now wants to be a nurse.

Life for most 21-year-olds is a whirlwind of parties and new adventures. But Gabrielle Martin is not your average 21-year-old. She has just taken a year out of her life to care for her 68-year-old best mate Bob (or Bobba as she called him), who was dying.

Gabrielle grew up next door to Bob on Auckland's Hibiscus Coast and over the years, the pair formed a tight bond.

“Whenever Mum couldn't find me, she knew I'd be at Bobba's,” Gabrielle laughs. "One of my earliest memories is of standing on his feet to mow his lawns with him when I was four. He taught me to fish, how to change a tyre, ride a bike and drive. He was my person.”

Four years ago, Bob, who lived alone, was diagnosed with prostate cancer and Gabrielle was devastated. “About three years into his cancer journey, I came home from travelling Europe. I'd been away a couple of years, working as a barista and a surfing teacher, and originally intended just to stay three months. But every time I visited him, I noticed small declines becoming bigger. I just couldn't go back.

"I didn't really have work to go back to, so I made this decision to move in with him and look after him 24/7. Bobba was a proud man and he wanted to die at home. He had always given me so much, so this was the least I could do for him."

Not all of Gabrielle's friends understood her decision, but those who "knew and loved Bobba did - and my family was very proud”.

With the blessing of Bob's family, who spent as much time as they could with Bob but were unable to care for him full-time, Gabrielle set about preparing herself for the journey, starting by bulking up at the gym.