IT SAYS a lot about John Whiu that the proud Maori and retired youth worker spent part of his final few living days thinking of others and making sure the care and kindness they showed him was never forgotten.

The man who everyone - even those outside his family circle - called "Grandad” passed away on Sunday morning at his home in Tweed Heads South.

Only days earlier, the 75-year-old had made time to share a story about life and about an African singing group called 100% hOPE, and about how things sometimes happen that have a way of making you want to "stick around a little longer”.

The former military man, who suffered from long-term heart and lung issues, had felt down following the latest of 40-odd hospital stays over a five-year period and told his wife that he'd finally had enough.

"The doctor (Dr Mike Lindley-Jones) came up to see me and I told him what I'd told my wife and after he made me comfortable, then he disappeared,” Mr Whiu recalled late last week.

"It was incredible, about 20 minutes later he turned up in my ward again with all these children.

"He bought them into my room and the lady in charge of them came up and asked if the kids could sing me a song and the emotion just overcame me.

"These things just don't happen in hospitals. And they sang the song and I cried all the way through the bloody thing.”

He said he wanted to share his story to let the community know about the excellent doctors and nurses at the Tweed Hospital, looking after their welfare.

Mr Whiu, who had spent countless hours in Tweed Hospital in past years due to his ongoing health issues, suggested "the resort” had become his second home and its staff his friends.

"To me, you see this sort of stuff in the movies but you don't see it in real life, and this experience has happened to me and it surprised me and it surprised the staff,” he said.

"It was all acapella that these kids sang. I'm a musical person - I'm one of those who believe there must be music in life - and to listen to these kids sing, and listen to their harmony, they enjoyed themselves and so did I.”

Mr Whiu said he had observed the staff's fight in recent times for an improved hospital and claimed however many million was needed to build the facility would never be enough of a payment for what they do for people each day.

He wanted to thank the staff and the group, 100% hOPE, who sang.

Mr Whiu's family, which includes 16 grandchildren and 29 great-grandkids, confirmed he will be laid to rest in his homeland of New Zealand. They agreed for the story to be published.