Nick Eleini told broadcasters the family was “devastated” after Angela Glover died trying to rescue her dogs. He said he understands her body was found by her husband James, who managed to cling to a tree when the wave hit, following the eruption of a volcano.
It is the first known death of the disaster, caused by the eruption of the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Haʻapai volcano on Saturday, about 40 miles (65km) north of Tonga’s capital Nuku’alofa, where the Glovers lived.
Speaking outside their mother’s home in Hove, Mr Eleini said that Brighton-born Angela, 50, had been living in Tonga since getting married to James.
He said they had become “well-loved by locals and ex-pats alike”, as he ran a tattoo parlour called the Happy Sailor, employing and training Tongans, while she founded the Tongan Animal Welfare Society.
Angela had “a deep love of dogs” and her organisation sheltered and rehabilitated stray animals before trying to find homes for them, Mr Eleini said.
“Angela and James loved their life in Tonga and adored the Tongan people. In particular, they loved the Tongan love of family and Tongan culture,” he said. “From a little girl it was always Angela’s dream to swim with whales and it was Tonga that allowed her to fulfil these dreams.”
How sad … 
… but she had lived her dream … 