Former All Blacks hooker, Dancing with the Stars winner and advocate for vulnerable children Norm Hewitt has died aged 55 after a battle with motor neurone disease.
New Zealand media reported that Hewitt died on Monday night, following the loss of his former Hawke’s Bay and Hurricanes teammate Jarrod Cunningham, who succumbed to the same disease in 2007 at the age of 38.
Motor neuron disease (MND) is a progressive neurological disorder that affects the nerve cells responsible for controlling voluntary muscle movements, resulting in muscle weakness and atrophy.
It affects activities such as speaking, walking, breathing and swallowing, ultimately resulting in severe physical disabilities.
Hewitt grew up in Porangahau, south of Hawke’s Bay, and played 296 representative matches during a memorable first-class rugby career that spanned 13 seasons for Hawke’s Bay, Southland and Wellington.
He played 23 games for the All Blacks in nine seasons and was a key member of the Hurricanes in the early years of Super Rugby, missing just one game in the first five years.
Hewitt first joined the All Blacks as understudy to Sean Fitzpatrick in the 1993 series against the British and Irish Lions and later that year toured Scotland and England.
He made his test debut against Ireland at the 1995 World Cup.
New Zealand All Blacks hooker Norm Hewitt was one of the toughest men to play.
The rugby great won a legion of new fans with his star turn on New Zealand television show Dancing with the Stars, which he won in 2005.
Hewitt was also a decorated member of the Hurricanes in the trans-Tasman Super Rugby competition.
While an All Black, Hewitt had a famous Haka confrontation with England’s Richard Cockerill in 1997.
The two came face to face in an intense confrontation before the match at Old Trafford in Manchester.
Hewitt later described the incident, which ended with the pair pushing and shoving and the England team coming face to face with the All Blacks, as an entrenched part of “rugby folklore”.
“It was like there were only two people on the field,” Hewitt said at the time.
‘At one point I thought, ‘If I had a patu (club), I would have cut his head off,’ and I headed towards that spot. I don’t know why… It was an important game and we were going to war and he is my enemy, a kill-or-be-killed scenario.
“I compared it to that and yeah, I guess it’s part of that folklore now, like when the Irish crossed the line with Buck Shelford.”
Highlighting his toughness, Hewitt continued to play despite breaking his arm in the crucial final moment of Wellington’s victory in the 2000 NPC final.
Hewitt’s confrontation with England’s Richard Cockerill during the 1997 haka (pictured) is etched into rugby folklore.
Hewitt lived a troubled life outside of football and also became a great redemption story and advocate for at-risk and vulnerable youth.
A new group of Kiwis fell in love with Hewitt when she won the first season of Dancing with the Stars alongside professional dancer Carol-Ann Hickmore in 2005.
The first series of Dancing With The Stars in New Zealand featured a talented cast including actor Shane Cortese, comedian Ewen Gilmore, Silver Fern Bernice Mene and artists-turned-politicians Mayor Tim Shadbolt and Georgina Beyer.
But it was Hewitt who kicked off the series with her custom pasodoble alongside partner Carol-Ann Hickmore.
Combining elements of the Haka with excellent footwork and posture, Hewitt earned the first perfect score of the series and brought the studio audience to its feet.
Hewitt also became a New Zealand redemption story after finding religion and turning away from violence and alcohol, becoming an advocate for leadership training and anti-violence messaging.
In 1999, he drunkenly entered the wrong room at a Queenstown hotel. Later, at a press conference, he burst into tears and apologized.
“In 1999 I was at a crossroads in terms of my behavior and I had to make some key decisions. One of them was to stop drinking,” he said in a recent interview.
In a confronting documentary, ‘Making Good Men’, Norm revisits his early years when, as a senior at Te Aute College, he severely assaulted his schoolmate, Manu Bennett, who has since become an international actor, known for roles including Slade Wilson in ‘Arrow’.
Hewitt seriously assaulted New Zealand actor Manu Bennett (pictured right) when they were at high school, and approached the actor to make amends as part of a documentary.
After his retirement, Hewitt was a much-loved rugby commentator and analyst in New Zealand.
Together, the two analyzed what had shaped them up to that decisive moment and found reconciliation with each other and with themselves.
The documentary also culminates with a powerful and moving moment of reconciliation with Norm’s father.
Among his many charitable works, Norm was a ‘kahukura’ (influencer) for E Tū Whānau, a Māori initiative that focuses on empowering whānau to bring about change that prevents violence.
“It’s been an incredible journey. Just as hard as I’ve had to work as an athlete, I’ve had to work ten times as hard to be a father and a husband,” Hewitt told The Salvation Army.
“There is nothing bigger than that.”
Hewitt was also honoured on hit New Zealand show ‘Flight of the Conchords’, with co-creator Jemaine Clement revealing: ‘We came up with the name Murray Hewitt by combining the names of two famous New Zealand rugby players – Murray Mexted and Norm Hewitt. In that way, we created the most New Zealand name possible.’
Tributes are pouring in on social media.
“Rest in peace bro. You were my idol growing up. My condolences to your family and everyone who knew you,” one fan posted.
“Ok Norm. Warrior. Survivor. The year 2000 still shines in my memory,” posted another.