Ashley (Ash) Moka, a gay 23-year-old man from Auckland, passed away suddenly in the early hours of Saturday 2nd December. The cause of his death is still to be determined. Moka was a hairdresser, swimming instructor, and also worked as a barman on the opening team of ‘Boogie Wonderland' nightclub in Downtown Auckland. A regular at Flesh and Family nightclubs, he also enjoyed tapas at late-night cafes,social drinks at friend's houses, and was a ravenous reader of fiction. His brother Roy Moka remembers Ashley was a quiet kid, who blossomed into a well-liked, charismatic man. “He was extremely introverted until he came out at the age of 16,” Roy says. “Then he told our mum he was gay. That was the turning point in his life, and went from introverted to extremely extroverted. He was happy for the first time. His whole perspective changed and he became much more positive. “For me as his brother, I couldn't ask for more. Finally seeing my brother happy, that was great.” The funeral service for Ashley will take place at 11am on Wednesday 6 December at Manukau Memorial Gardens Chapel, Puhinui Rodd, Papatoetoe, Auckland. Ref: GayNZ.com (m)
Credit: GayNZ.com News Staff
First published: Monday, 4th December 2006 - 12:00pm