Sand artist Wayne Webb: Finding hope on New Brighton beach

Wayne Webb was drowning in addiction and darkness when tragedy struck close to home. In his grief, his pain became visible to someone who asked if he was okay - that question changed everything.Now Wayne creates messages of hope in the sand at New Brighton Beach every day. After decades using alcohol and drugs to cope, he discovered that "busy hands mean a settled brain." What started as personal healing has become bigger - people share their struggles with him on the pier, and his art gives them moments of beauty.Wayne's message is confronting: most people don't want to die, they just want their anguish to stop. No one's coming to save you, so save yourself. But when people are struggling, Wayne listens, because sometimes feeling heard is enough.We'd love to hear from you. Send us a text or a voicemail by clicking here. If you need support, here are helpful links, phone numbers and resources: https://ember.org.nz/resources/in-a-crisis/