Te Wairongoa Paniona remembered as Whangārei’s much-loved Mr T

Brodie StoneMultimedia Journalist·Northern Advocate·8 Sep, 2026 04:35 AM4 mins to read‌After recovering from his injuries in a hit-and-run in October, Mr T is finally back busking on the streets on his new mobility scooter. Video / Michael CunninghamNorthland busker “Mr T” is being remembered as a “beautiful soul” whose cheerful grin and music became fixtures of central Whangārei.Te Wairongoa Paniona, widely known as Mr T, died yesterday aged 67. He was a regular presence on the streets of central Whangārei, where he strummed his guitar,