Meet the Foxton man who started a funeral parlour as a 19-year-old

March 25, 2021

At just 19 years of age, Jayden Moore started his own funeral service business. (Source: Other)

Last night, Seven Sharp caught up with one of New Zealand’s youngest funeral directors.

Jayden Moore started his own funeral service when he was just 19 years old.

Now 22, Moore left Manawatū College when he was 16 and began work at a Palmerston North funeral home doing odd jobs.

“I always wanted to do it [work at a funeral home] since a young age. It's something that's always fascinated me,” he told Seven Sharp.

After leaving school, the industrious teenager also ran a fish and chip shop and had shares in a local dairy.

“My dad gave me a three grand loan to get some stock in the dairy.

“I just started trading and hoped like heck it was going to work and it did work.”

From there, Moore bought a building in Foxton with business partner Gordy Gunther and opened Te Awahou Funeral Services in November 2017.

The young man enjoys his work but admits it can be tough at times.

“Sometimes you're at a funeral and you have to hold your emotions. You could be nearly ready to cry yourself, but we just stand there and try our best not to.

“Obviously, we're there as support and guidance for the family.”

Moore also now has his own carpet cleaning, firewood and zorb park businesses.

Seven Sharp’s Julian Lee tried to keep up with the ambitious youngster in the video above.

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